TWENTY-THREE REMITS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21534, 25 July 1935, Page 12

TWENTY-THREE REMITS

4, JUSTICES OF PEACE MEET MINISTER SUGGESTED ■ ABOLITION OF GRAND JURIES A,.!OCUTf>:: V;: - .;:OSA:,[.; 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 Hon. 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 placiarding of doors of public buildings ■with objections to the 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 he would submit them to the Minister for Transport. Referring to the appointment of justices of the peace, the Minister ; s?.id every care was taken to m- ! vestigate the nominations, and in each case the report was submitted to a stipendiary magistrate in each district l'or 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 membeis of the public.