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FIRST OFFENDERS.
A JUDGE'S VIEWS.
MELBOURNE, August 18.
In passing sentence on a prisoner at the
Criminal Court to-day Mr. Justice Williams
made some observations on first offenders.
He had, he said, given the question
much thought for many years, and had
come to the conclusion that it was right
to be merciful. Others might not agree
with him, but what he believed in it was
his duty to carry out. Unless a crime were
of an outrageous description, or was of
frequent occurrence and rampant, a Judge
should seriously pause and hesitate before
iie sent a first offender to gaol, and that
whether he was young or old. An old
man was entitled to just as much consideration
as a young one. Indeed, if a man
spent 50 years in any country and had led
during that period an honest and industrious
life he was entitled to twice as
much consideration as a youth of 19 or 20
years. In referring to another prisoner
His Honor made similar remarks, and
added that first offenders should not be
sent to gaol if it "could possibly be avoided,
and that it was a matter of conscience with
him to act up to the principle.
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