'Justice by lottery’

Press, 18 August 1978, Page 2

'Justice by lottery’

PA Wellington “Justice by lottery” was how the Labour spokesman on justice, Mr D. R. Lange, yesterday described the Government’s decision. “Those unlucky enough to have been prosecuted first now have a conviction standing against their names,

while the vast majority will have no such stain even though they may have been equally guilty,” he said. “The whole sorry episode has done absolutely nothing to enhance public respect for law and order in this country.” Mr Lange said that Mr Wilkinson was guilty of

“considerable incompetence” in the matter. “It was obvious, after those who pleaded guilty were convicted and discharged, that this pattern would be followed with those who pleaded not guilty but were convicted,” he said. “The lesson the community gets from this decision is that as far as crime is concerned there is safety in numbers when you are arrested by the police. “It is a sad commentary on our judicial system that the law lets people off scot free because it can not handle the numbers involved,” he said. “I believe that in order tc correct the injustices created by the decision, the Attorney-General should immediately move to procure the expunging of convictions of those already convicted bj the courts. “This is the only way the law can be seen to be fair tc all concerned,” he said. “It should not be forgotten.

however, that the real issue is the validity of the claim by the Bastion Point protestors to the land. “The Government has avoided discussing this matter all along. That question has not been resolved by the mishandled prosecutions which have only served to divert attention from the real issue,” said Mr Lange. (Wilkinson reply, Page 4.)