"THE CAT" SUGGESTED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 17 August 1911, Page 6

"THE CAT" SUGGESTED

FOR SEXUAL OFFENDERS. RECOMMENDATIONS BY GRAND JURY. ' Wellington, August 15. At yesterday's sitting of the Supreme Court, aiter his Honor (Mr. Justice Chapman) had been advised of the grand jury's findings, the foreman, Mr. F. Townsend, intimated that, on behalf of the grand jury, he had two recommendations to make. The first was that the grand jury viewed with alarm the large number of sexual offences reported, especially against young children. They offered the suggestion to his Honor that since otherwise severe sentences failed to act as effective deterrents, the courts might order corporal punishment in all. such cases. His Honor: I have had the same recommendation in Auckland, and I have in one or two instances directed that corporal punishment be administered. But the men convicted of these offences are so often weedy, unhealthy-looking l men, and although corporal punishment can never be inflicted except under a medical certificate, in some cases it is obvious that the man cannot be punished in that way. T will take your recommendation into consideration, but I must consider the circumstances of each case. Mr. Townsend: These offences are most frequently committed by hawkers, bottlegatherers, and men of that class. They are by their occupation almost at liberty to go into any place, and we—most of us are" men with families—feel that it will be scarcely safe for our children to igo abroad unless something is done to I check this class of crime.

His Honor: Yes, these offences are committed by prowlers, but there is no way in which the court can restrain a class. We have only to deal with cases.

Mr. Townsend submitted the further recommendation that his Honor should convey to the proper authorities the grand jury's opinion that the Lands Department should make known as widely as possible that it is illegal to accept a bribe to abstain from bidding at a Government land sale.

His Honbr: The only way that could be made known would be at a Crown lands sale, where the conditions of sale were read out. I will make the recommendation.