JURY OF MAORIS.

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

JURY OF MAORIS.

I CASE AT GISBORNE. ACCUSED'S APPLICATION. (From Our Correspondent.) GISBORXE, Thursday. Application lias liocn made to the registrar of -the': Supreme-Court.-at afsboDic to " have Ta jury' of Maoris empanelled during "tlio'"session: at' the end of this month, Tho application has been made :on heh'alf 0f;.,T00 Douglas, aged 31, of Wairoa, who was recently committed for trial at. the Gisborne session of tho Supromo-Court, : .Tlie' last occasion in Gisborne on tt'jiicii there were members of the; native i-ftce on a jury was three years ago, and- then onlv three were empanelled. IV is'"understood tliat there may ten fuillist of 12Mnori jurors hearing the present case. ! Tlie section '-dealing with' the question is 144 of the Juries Act, 1008, which inovides that where a Maon is commit-tcd-for trial in any Court for an offence against a Maori, the accused may give notico .to the committing magistrate or iustice at-the time of commitment, or to tho registrar of clork of the Court of trial, at any timo not less than seyon tlars'before tho trial, that ho claims - to "be tried br a Maori jury and m such case he shall be tried by such jury accordingly.