Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1021, 11 July 1930, Page 10

Citizens Say —

SAFETY ON STEAM BUSES Sir. — “Engineer” had better make certain that it is necessary for anybody in charge of a steam vehicle to have an engine-driver’s ticket; he has rushed into print before he is sure of his ground. Let me put it in another way—is the type of vehicle proposed for use by the Transport Board fitted with a “boiler” within the meaning of the Act? VILE ET CREDE. LIGHTS ON CARTS Sir, — In thiif over-governed .Dominion is an army of inspectors watching every move made by motorists, and ready to summon the most expert of drivers before a magistrate should his speed rise even one mile an hour above the maximum for a given piece of road, or to pounce on him for any minor technical offence. Very often speed traps have been set merely for the purpose of collecting revenue, ridiculously low limits being set and no speed limit notice posted to give the offender the slightest warning of the position. In this round of minor checks there is little time left for attention to what is, to my mind, a much more important question—that of lights on the slower-moving vehicles such as carts. It seems probable to me that inspectors shirk this duty largely because the principal offenders, on the North Shore at least, are Chinese and a stolid “No savee” or a bewildered silence can be the only outcome. There is a regulation fixing the minimum brilliance of motor-car headlights and rear lights, but it appears that any cart may jos: along in the dark with only the feeble glimmer of a dirty storm lantern, which often cannot be seen from the rear. These present a serious menace to the faster traffic and will certainly lead to a serious accident if the inspectors do not “get busy.” SPOTLIGHT FROM CAIN’S DAY Sir.— Your correspondents -\vhc- write against hanging, quote the disgracea hanging means to relatives, the public nature of an execution and the agony of death by strangulation. The disgrace is no greater than if a culprit were dealt with in any other way. A murderer is a murderer! The hanging is* private and is not painful. Death is instantaneous. Right from the time when Cain slew his brother the murderer has lost his rights as a fellow human being. He murders a fellow creature and society falls it* an example is not made by removing him from the earth and there is no deter-

(To the Editor.)

rent to the next person who thinks a fellow creature is in his way. Many a murder has been prevented by a fear of the rope or the "cat." Make murder easy and it will be taken advantage of by blackguards who will not object to kind and considerate treatment in gaol, if they are caught, and who know that snivelling sympathisers will do their best to reform them. Will that "reform” replace the poor victim or perhaps save another? "Ex-gaoler" is the tyoe of man who will do more to keep society safe from criminals. Gaol should be a place to which a criminal would dread to return. Garrotting and rape were frequent in New South Wales some years ago till some hangings and the “cat" stopped it. • Some of these hangings were for attempted acts only. It worked, however, where the "Please be- good!” was useless. British justice is easy enough now and being executed for murder may- not deter the executed person, but it makes file next prospective murderer think fairly hard before he risks his neck. If the death penalty is abolished through sentimentality society loses its best protection against callous murderers. If tlie "cat" were used on sexual offenders we would see less of that sort of crime. When an argument is stressed on a hoodlum’s hide he takes some notice. Make the penalty fit the crime. Eet gaol be an unpleasant place to inhabit- Cruelty is unnecessary and as for the murderer no amount of reformative treatment will make him anything else titan a murderer.

“THIS KINDNESS STUFF” Sir. In the contribution, “This Kindness Stuff.” appearing in Tuesday’s issue, your contributor has not given your readers much food for thought. Ostensibly the opinions of “ex-policemen and gaolers.” it is (not to put too tine a point on it) aji exposition of sadism. Irwluded among “prison officials of the old school” would be the warders at Botany Bay. New Caledonia. Devil’s Island, and a few other places where society sends its own victims. With collection, the persons whose opinions are quoted in your article would be in good company. All sad™T are unrefined, and so long as we have them (as we do) in our prison administration, so long will crime remain comparatively unclassified, and treated punitively. and not reforma - tively. According to these people, crime is just crime. There are no degrees. They would cure it all with the

“cat.” whereas that method has succeeded merely in brutalising its victims. Police court procedure. too. needs reforming. A serious business

should be dealt with seriously. 77?* Bench is no place for comedy, certain? not in cases licit are brought under the Crimes or Police Offences Act. OI.VS. BAlLEk-