Secret Setting Aside Of Penalties?

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1949, Page 8

Secret Setting Aside Of Penalties?

AUCKLAND, Thu. (P.A.).—"Democracy will have no truck with secret trials and secret penalties, but faith in the purity of the system of justice will be shaken if there is a breath of suspicion that the judgment and penalty of the courts can later be set aside in secrecy.” This statement is made in the July issue of th£ Auckland Automobile Association’s Bulletin, in which the editor criticises the Minister of Justice (Mr Mason) for refusing to make public remissions of penalties imposed by the courts on drunken motor drivers. The North Island Motor Union ask*ed how many convictions there had been for drunken driving in the past three years and in how many cases the period of the licence suspension had been reduced.

‘‘The Under-Secretary of the Justice Department,” the Bulletin states, “replied: ‘lt is thought that no useful purpose would be served by supplying further information.’ , “The Minister of Justice replied: ‘The Minister, fike other people, has public duties to perform. This does not mean that be must comply with every arbitrary demand from whatever quarter.’ ” 'The editorial states that the Crown's prerogative of mercy is not questioneel,, but the suspension of licence loses much of its value as an effective check if it is put abroad* that by application to the right quarter the penalty can be remitted in w byale or part. The editorial adds: “Whisperings concerning remissions are widespread enough to warrant an official statement.” V