JUSTICE VINDICATED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 92, 18 April 1929, Page 7

JUSTICE VINDICATED

AFRICAN FARMER’S CRUELTY THE CABINET’S DECISION [Australian Prest Assn.] CAPETOWN, April J 5. The decision of Cabinet not to recommend the Governor to exercise the Royal prerogative in the case of the fanner sentenced to lashes and imprisonment as the result of the death ol a native is hailed as a vindication of justice- It will probably result in the ; establishment of a Court of Criminal i Appeal. The Dutch Pretoria newspaper alone condemns the Cabinet decision on the grounds that corporal punishment lias I been al ol'-shed in all civilised conn--1 tries and that the Judge disregarded I the recommendation of mercy and was inflini.ced by sentimental reasons. A Transvaal farmer was recently convicted of culpable homicide arising out of the death of a native. lie was sentenced to seven years hard labour :mJ t<*n lashes. He tied a native to a i tree feet upwards and threw a stone • breaking his ribs and breast bone. The • judge said the punishment would bo inI adequate unless it included physical pain. This was the first case of a I white being seriously punished for assault on a native, and aroused a lot I of comment. The sentence of ten lashes | was not to be carried out till the I Prime Minister and his colleagues had I made investigations. . The Argus said that the judge had struck a blow for justice which would reverberate through Africa. The Rand Mail stated that no matter what developments ensued it was a gratification to all right thinkers that : an exemplary sentence bad been passed I on the brutal fellow.