JURY SYSTEM IN VICTORIA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16700, 8 December 1919, Page 4

JURY SYSTEM IN VICTORIA.

The immunity from punishment for serious ciimcs which has been brought about by the futilities that exist in Victoria for "squaring"' juries has been long notorious (says the Melbourne "Age"). Tho polico kr.ow it —they could lay their finger on the arch culprit : tho Chief Commissioner knows it: the Government, know it. Yet this awful stigma on our system of justice is allowed to continue, simply because the Government arc 'so unutterably feeblo that thev "'ill not bother .about, making the alteration in the Juries Act that is needed to put an end to the shameful system of bribing jurors. At. present there is nothing to prevont agents of criminals who desire to defeat justice from acquainting themselves with the names and addresses of jurymen who may be selected to try their offence?. At present, after a. public "drawing" in the manner of a racing rr.-eop of the aggregate of jurors who may bo required for a court session extending over two weeks or more, there is a further division of those selected into groups. Each group is given notice to attend during a particular period, and for three days prior to their first appearance in court anyone may inspect a list kept in tho sheriff's office of the names and addresses of all jurors in any grotin. If by approaching juror? in advance in the interests of a person awaiting trial onlv one man's support is secured, his stubbornness is sufficient to. produce a disagreement; and after tHree disagreements, as a rule, the Crown abandons a prosecntion. Sometimes. if the ease is a very flagrant one, a special jury is applied for. and by this means, on the fourth trial, an accused is convicted. But if access to juror." in advance were rendered impracticable, one trial would much morij frequpntlv result in conviction or acquittal, and the Crown would be saved treat unnecessary expense. The scandal of the spectacle now presented of utter fuh'lftv in the exercise of tho machinery of the law in fo many cases to .secure a verdict one way or the other, makes remedial legislation urgent. Til New South "Wales no inspection of jury lists is allowed.