Women On Juries

Press, Volume C, Issue 29637, 6 October 1961, Page 12

Women On Juries

Most persons would agree with the Attorney-General (Mr Hanan) when he said he did not favour making jury service compulsory for women unless there was a strong and clearlyexpressed desiie by women for compulsion. To agree with Mr Hanan on this is not to reject the principle that women who demand equality with men in the modem State should accept equal responsibilities. However, New Zealand society as a whole is not ready for compulsory jury service for women, and it is convenient, for the time being at least, to accept this. But it is unquestionably true, and it has been freely demonstrated in other countries, that women can contribute valuably to the administration of justice. How can the jury system be balanced or representative when it includes only half the community? There are women in New Zealand who are anxious to serve on juries.

feeling that they can make the same contribution as women in other countries, and that they have an equal responsibility with men. Theoretically the law places no obstacles in the way of women of good character who wish to volunteer io have their names put on the jury list. In practice authority appears to regard them as a nuisance. Women . volunteers have complained of unnecessary, and indeed presumptuous, questions about their private lives asked by investigating policemen. Mr Hanan would do well to ignore the theoretical question of compulsory jury service and to turn his attention to the realities of the present system. It is worth asking why a country that was among the first In the world to offer the franchise to women is among the most backward in the Western world in encouraging women .o perform one of the most important duties of citizenship.