DUTY OF JURIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 11

DUTY OF JURIES.

COMMENT BY JUDGE. ADMINISTRATION OF LAW. ILLEGAL OPERATION CASES. In addressing a jury in the Supremo Court yesterday, at the conclusion of a case in which a woman w - as charged with the unlawful use of an instrument, Mr. Justice-Calhui Isaid that from time to time .there.bad been criticism : ',of ; the administration : of'thei'lawyh'Tegard fo tlio particular;: iOas's.-df., been it was a (la i mi i hich it was particularly dilliciilt to obtain: a con" viction.' ':"-}■ ~y.,- [ '':~ ■!'■,"'.'■' ■ ' His Honor aid (hat, he did hot n'ssp-,-ciate'hiniseli witli Hint rith ism, but it WOulcV'be'.idle' .'for li irii. to;'; pre tend, that,lie did nbt'; : -kn6w of'it, and it : was 'his duty: to refer to it. It In 1 been suggested,, that some mr mix i i oi i lie community, had strong fcelin tint die law in regard to Ili particulai ciime was unjust;- andsthnt-it should\he unmade or altered.. gcntlcihen who :<n me tin - .iun.e'k''did'J'sbrne-:" limes'-fake'-ndvantage;,"<' f '.'the opportunity lhat..'their .duty':-.as .jurymen a (forded to. dismiss, a case where -'they'- should, b'a'.ve:-. convicted'. ;'■■"'' '.'■'■' ' .' '"■■ '"'. Hi-, Honni inlilm ili.it was obviously wrong-''.froim. 'many;'point's, of View If it, cvcrdjifppcncd;,',:"He. ■'pii'ii.i.led.'iiu't-'tlia't'-'tho. practiee.'.bf.'illegal--operations: jinitriripusly; led to soYioiK danger to., health-,, .and. sonictiines-..il;iiigei' to tlie ; life of: the; woman ..practised 'upon, and. -repntable eiti/.ens::.would„like;fo; see,;t'lie ..■youth of the country kept reasonably straight in I 111 111 lllrlr i (if nll in 11 111 l i There; w'ii i mI i In tid, that it wnn.for'-su'cli reasons that, fho lawmakers'-' of Hrlliiiii- and- New.Zcali)nd':hnd thought it proper..to make a.n...offence of the:class iif conduct'of; : :.w.hieli, the iwohian had; beeiiyiccusetl. ■ '