ABANDON HOPE

NZ Truth, Issue 1182, 26 July 1928, Page 6

ABANDON HOPE

» — ' "Option "In Theory And Practise (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) The "tfme to pay" plea of drunks and other minor offenders who. are faced with the option of paying a fine m lieu of spending a few hours or days m gaol, it pretty regular, DUT if it le to be treated as a reliable side-prop to justice, magistrates might exercise a little more of their own Judgment instead of, as they always eeem to do ln this matter, leahing heavily on the advice of the police. "-'•'•;* In the Auckland Magistrate's 'Court, it is the practice of the Bench, when an offender voices the Inevitable request, to appeal to the police as to whether the culprit Is worthy of the court's "T.P." leniency. If the subject of the conviction is unknown to the officers Involved m the prosecution or to any other of the senior officers present m court, his chances of dodging the "cooler" are very remote. Because an elderly offender who recently asked Magistrate McKean for time to pay 40/- was a "total stranger" to the Sub-Inspector and the arresting constable,, he went to Mt Eden fer seven days. Yet, the man appeared to be respectable and spoke of a reliable livelihood. '-";. On the other hand, it le a regular thing /for an old offender to get the "yea" to his request on no other recommendation than a whisper .from the court orderly to the prosecuting offioer to the effect that "he always pays his fine." Magistrates could at least endeavor to elicit, from the man m the dock whether he ls of permanent address and if he could procure guarantee .of payment from some reliable source. While one must appreciate the possibilities of causing the authorities further trouble m finally securing payment from one who proves to be untrustworthy, we do not 'believe In making fish of one and fowl of another simply because a policeman says: "I know him." Moreover, In minor charges where a conviction includes the option, Is It not more conducive to social repair and state economy to keep as many out of gaol as possible?