§ MR. JOYCE (Limerick)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that the condemned man, J. Roache, who has been sentenced to death at Pretoria, has appealed to the High Commissioner for a commutation of his sentence on the grounds of the scantiness
†See (4) Debates, cxv., 238.787 of the evidence connecting him with firing the fatal shot, and also on account of his service of eight years in the Army; and whether, taking all the circumstances into account, he will ask that the sentence be suspended pending an appeal to the Crown.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.)By the Letters Patent the prerogative of mercy is vested in the Lieutenant-Governor, in whose discretion and humanity I have absolute confidence, and who will no doubt take all the circumstances of the case into consideration.