THE ABOLITION OF PUNISHMENT FOR LARCENY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 404, 31 October 1874, Page 3

THE ABOLITION OF PUNISHMENT FOR LARCENY.

{To the Editor.) Sir, — There is 'no doubt but ' that the criminal clasa fuUyjappreciates, and will take advantage held out to .theni fyy our .considerate and paternal rulers } «WttL er « Otago

will bear the palm of having the most expert and daring criminals, in the southern hemisphere, simply from the fact of our law makers and rulers in their great desire to economise, having in their wisdom decided n6t to' allow witnesses their expenses, no matter how far. they may have to travel, except in extreme cases of hardship or distress. I will give you a case in point. Some days ago, an article valued about 12s, was stolenfrom a store in this district. The storekeeper and a working man had to attend the •■court at Lawrence, a distance of about 20 miles JFroM where tilejr reside, to #ive evidence. The working man had to get a librae, lose a day's work, and travel over 40 miles, his total loss being about 35s ; and when he asks for his expenses from the court, he is civilly informed that such ' a tiling is not allowed except in cases of distress, &c. ; and. as he would not plead extreme distress or poverty, he has to stand the loss, and I know he can ill afford it. Now I ask if this cheese paring policy is carried out so closely, will the majority of the people be likely to give information for the detection and suppression of crime ? o»", when people have property stolen from them will they give information to the police ? no, I rather think not; unless the article is of some particular value they are more likely to put up with the loss, rather than be put to expense and inconvenience. Thus a man that the fear of .the law keeps honest, will now be able to practice in petty thefts, especially' in outlying districts ; for he will know that .it will be difficult to get witneses • to give evidence in such cases. And when he, from long practice, becomes expert, he can'then go to largo centres of population and be a credit and an ornament to the lightfinuered - fraternity. Now Ido not for a moment advocate that witnesses, &c, should be well paid for givingevidenceinsuch cases, that as would posaibly prove as injurious as not paying at, all ; but I ask is it just that they should be put to direct and actual loss? There are many who Bay that these petty cases cost the community too'much without having to pay witnesses &c, and there maybe some truth.in the assertion ; but is it not true wisdom if possible to stop crime in the bud, for unfortunately many of our fellow creatures have the bump of kleptomania strongly marked, aud it needs but a little laxness in the administration of the laws to fully develope it. — I am, &c., J. O. Waipori, October 22nA, 1874.