THE KING'S PARDON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 6

THE KING'S PARDON.

The ordinary layman who road last week that a man in Scotland, convicted and lined for having an illicit still, had been' granted the King's Pardon, may have wondered just what the King's Pardon is nnd in what circumstances it is granted (says "The Listener"). The Crown has the prerogative right of granting a pardon for practically any offence either before or after conviction. In practice the pardon is granted on the advice of the Home Office. Attention may bo drawn to the case either by the recommendation of the judge when passing sentence, or by a petition from the condemned man or from his Most people are acquainted with the principle of granting reprieves. But a reprieve it? purely a remission of the death sentence, and the criminal is still recognised to liave been guilty. The King's Pardon, however, clears the recipient of all infamy and from any disqualification that may have followed from his conviction. In the "language of the law, it makes him "a new man." It is. in fact, a device for setting right a mistake when it becomes clear after a trial that there has been a miscarriage of justice. One of the best-known examples in this century was in the case of Colonel Lynch, who was tried 111 1903, found guilty and condemned to be hanged for treason —he had fought under General Botha in the Boer War. The sentence was immediately commuted to 1 imprisonment for life. Within a few years he was released 011 license. Finally, in 1007, he received a free Pardon from the King. 011 the other hand, a special 'Act of Parliament was passed to enable Mr. Oscar Slater to ' appeal against his conviction after he had served 18i years of a life sentence for murder. * _____ — 1 t