Court Blameless For Delay Of Eyre Case

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31521, 8 November 1967, Page 38

Court Blameless For Delay Of Eyre Case

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 7. “The report of proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday in the case of Dean Jack Eyre could well have given the impression that it was the fault of the Court that the trial had not taken place,” the registrar of the Supreme Court in Wellington (Mr G. J. Grace) said today. “I want to make it perfectly clear that there has been no delay whatever on

the part of the Court. Indeed, that was expressly acknowledged by Mr Eyre’s counsel in Court,” Mr Grace said. “The Eyre case could have been heard months ago had it been ready for trial. The proof of that is that another defamation case arising from an incident which occurred three months after the alleged defamation in the Eyre case has been heard and finally disposed of. “It is time the public understood clearly that, so far as the judges and court staff are concerned, the old complaint about delays in the court is a myth,” the Registrar went on.

“As a result of procedures introduced by the judges last year, the parties to any action can get an immediate fixture if they agree the matter is ready for trial. “The old quarterly system for jury cases is gone. Juries are called monthly to deal with criminal and civil cases and judges sit every day to deal with other work.

“Any case can be heard without delay if the parties agree. If, however, either party wishes to take any of the interlocutory steps avail-

able to him he must be allowed to do so, and his opponent must be allowed his free rights of review or appeal. “Proceedings of this kind, which are common in multiple proceedings, can hold up a trial, but that is the act of the parties, not the fault of the court.”