THE JURY SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 84, 10 April 1937, Page 7

THE JURY SYSTEM.

DEFENDED BY BARRISTER.

PROTECTION OF THE INNOCENT.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this dav

When the reported difficulty of obtaining convictions in cases in which persons are charged with procuring abortion, as emphasised by the special committee in its report to the Minister of Health, was referred to a prominent Wellington barrister for comment to-day, he admitted the difficulty, but was of the opinion that the maintaining of the jury system in connection with criminal trials was so important and so essential a part of the British administration of justice that he would not like to see inroads made on it for the purpose of meetini a particular class of case.

However desirable it might be to ensure that a conviction should follow where guilt was proved, it was more important that the innocent should not be convicted, and trial by jury was the best means of ensuring that. He pointed out that juries, after all, reflected public opinion, and it would seem that any remedy to deal with the problem would lie in educating public opinion.