20 JANUARY 1923, Page 12

SENTENCES FOR CHILD MURDER. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

SIR,—In the Spectator for January 13th you discuss the subject of Capital Punishment. You are mistaken in supposing that a woman who has killed her newly-born child must be subjected to the awful and solemn farce of being sentenced to death, only to be reprieved a few days later. The Infan- ticide Act, which became law last July, provides that a mother who in her mental or bodily weakness has committed such a crime shall be guilty of infanticide and may be punished as if she had been guilty of manslaughter. This useful little Act deserves to be better known.—I am, Sir, &c.,

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