ABOLITION URGED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 241, 25 July 1935, Page 9

ABOLITION URGED

9 THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM. REMITS BY JUSTICE OF PEACE. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, July 24. Twenty-three remits, as passed by the conference of Justices of the Peace, were submitted to-day to the Minister for Justice (the 'Hion. J. G. Cobbe) by a deputation from the Federation of New Zealand Justices’ Associations. In reply to the suggested abolition of the grand jury system, Mr Cobbe said his department was watching very closely the result of the experiment in Britain, and the matter would be given full consideration. He agreed that the placarding of doors of public buildings with objections to tlie jury list was rather antiquated. He assured them that the Child Welfare Act was being considered, and would be revised, particularly in the direction of removing existing anomalies. As to remits dealing with motorvehicles, noisy cycles, and danger on highways, these questions did not come under his jurisdiction; but lie would submit them to tlie Minister for Transport. Referring to the appointment of justices of the peace, the Minister said every cate was taken to investigate the nominations, and ' in each case the report was submitted to a stipendary magistrate in each district for consideration. An effort was being made to prepare an up-to-date list of justices, as it was recognised that the existing roll was obsolete. Consideration would be given to a. suggestion about establishing central offices for use by justices of the peace and members of the public.