ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY

Southland Times, Issue 24836, 31 August 1942, Page 4

ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY

Criticism By Mayor Of Wairoa “I cannot help referring to the misguided abolition of the death penalty and corporal punishment in New Zealand,” said the Mayor of Wairoa, Mr H. L. Harker, in expressing the sympathy of the Wairoa district with, the relations of the victims of the Salvation Army Hall murders. “Murderers now have little or nothing to fear. “Is there not quite possibly a casual connection between this double murder and the aforesaid Act, passed with such light-hearted abandon and with such a tragic want of due consideration?” Mr Harker asked. “Beasts who perpetrate crimes such as this can do so with virtual impunity, as they fear only pain and death, both of which they are protected from by this tragic legislation. What does gaol mean to them? In all probability a better home than they have been used to—good food, good warm clothing, a good comfortable bed, all free or in return foithe little work they may be called on to do. They have no reputation left to be sullied by a term of incarceration. “The penalty for murder is imprisonment for life, but has this ever been carried out? What must those who are risking their lives in the defence of their country think of the position that a misguided Government has placed their wives and mothers in?

“These are my personal views, and I speak tonight hot from the point of view of party politics, with which I most likely will be charged, but from a realization of the responsibility placed on me as Mayor to see that to the best of my ability the residents of the borough are given adequate protection.” The Mayor, who was speaking at a meeting of the Borough Council, then moved: “That, pending the passing of legislation authorizing Are death penalty for murder, the Government be called on to provide adequate protection for the wives and mothers of those absent from home in the service of their country and of those persons whose age and state of health make them particularly vulnerable to attacks by human beasts.” The motion was carried unanimously.