CO129-284 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [7-8] — Page 398

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ment is imposed upon persons convicted of certain misdemea-

nours indictable at common Law.

3. It is difficult to find in the law books

any observations showing within what limits the common law

power of imprisonment has been, in practice,kept;but I think,

from the cases, it may be taken to have been (unusually from

one to two years.

4. Now, although the maximum punishment of one

year's imprisonment with hard labour coupled with a fine of

$500, as provided by Section 5 of Ordinance No.3 of 1898, would

seem sufficient in most cases, the Secretary of State truly

"

pointed out in his despatch No.104 of 26th. April, 1898, that

for certain conspiracies punishable by common law, such penal-

ty might be inadequate. The present Ordinance, accordingly, in-

creases the maximum term of imprisonment in such cases to

three years with hard labour.

(sd.) W.MEIGH GOODMAN,

Attorney General.