THE WESTPORT HOMICIDE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2382, 24 December 1908, Page 5

THE WESTPORT HOMICIDE.

THE REFUSAL OF COMPENSATION. THE PREMIER’S VIEWS. [Piiess Association.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 23. The Prime Minister was interviewed to-night by a “Times” reporter m regard to the telegram from Vcstpoit that the Government had acted harehiy in not granting compensation in the Hallinen and Anderson case. “The Government gave the whole matter very careful consideration, said Sir Joseph Ward. “It was very fully discussed from its various standpoints, and wo came to the conclusion that we could not cicb our way to authorise a monetary payment, and, .in any case, that wo could not no so without reference to Parliament. Among other things it was shown at the first trial that these men were not put in the witness box to give evidence on their own behalf, and, while in no way finding fault with those who were responsible for the conduct of the case, or making any comment upon it from that standpoint, I may say that the Government has been advised that if the men had given evidence in their own defence in the first instance they would not have been found guilty of murder.- In other words, they could not have been placed in the position _they eventually found -themselves in. There is no fault imputed to anv Government officer or to tlie Justice Department concerning the case, so far as we are aware. In fact we ordered the prosecution oi Connellv ior murder and are doing what is our duty in that respect. In the opinion of the Government the question of the responsibility of providing monetary payment m a- case of this kind is of such importance that we considered Parliament should be consulted to decide finally as to whether the Government should be called upon to make monetary provision in cases’of this nature. At all events, we are not prepared to make a monetary payment for the reasons 1 have o-iveil. Naturally one has sympathy for any one who has been placed m such a position, but it is not a question of sympathy, it,is a question of doing what is right."