Minister Gives A.A. Evasive Answer

Chronicle (Levin), 14 July 1949, Page 8

Minister Gives A.A. Evasive Answer

Press AssociatiOn)

(Per

AUCKLAND, . Juiy 13. ' ' Bemoeracy will have xio truck with seeret trials aijjd seeret penalties but faitli in the purity of the system of justjce Will be shaken. if there is a breath of suspieiom that the jndgmenl and penalty of the' Co'uiifs ean later be .set aside ia.' secrecy. ' ' This statement is.made in the Jnly issne . of . the Auckland" -Autoniobile Asso--eiation's bulletin . in Wlii'eh the editoj* ' criticises the Minister of Jnstice, Hon.H. B. Mason, for refusing to m:ake pubiie, tlie remissions of penalties iur--posed by the •Coni'ts on di'.unken niotor' drivers. The -ISrorth Island Hotor HJnion askedhow many conv.i'eifions there- had- been 'for. drunken driving in the past thi'ee1 years and in how many eases tlie pei'iod1 of lieenee suspension had been redueed. c ' The tTnder-Secretary of the Justiee Department, ? ' the bulletih states, feplied: 'It is thought no- useful purpose can be served "by supplying fUl'ther information. ' The Minister of Jnstice replied: 'The Minister, like other people, have pnblic duties ot perform. This does not mean they must comply with ; every arbitrary' dehiand ffoin/whatever quarter., The editorial states that the CroWn 's prerogative of mercy is" not questioned but suspension of a licence loses mueii of its value as an etfective eheck if it ' is put abroad that, by application to the right quarter, the penal'ty can be remitted in whole or part. The ^ditorial adds: "Whispering coneerning remissions of suspensions is widespread enough to warrant an official statement."