"SQUARING" THE JURY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 38, 8 November 1919, Page 8

"SQUARING" THE JURY

LAXITY OP VICTORIAN SYSTEM

The immunity from punishment for serious crimes which has lieen brought about by the facilities that exist'in Victoria for "squaring" juries has been long notorious (says the Mplbmirno

"Ago"). The police know it—they could lay their finger on the arch culprit; the Chief Commissioner knows it; the .Government knows it. Yet this awful stigma on our system of justice is allowed to continue, simply because the Government is so unutterably feeble that it will not bother about milking the alterations in the Juries Act that are needed to put nn end to the shameful system of bribing jurors. At present there is nothing to prevent agents of criminals' who desire to defeat justice from acquainting themselves with the names and addresses of jurymen who may be selected to try thenoffences. At present, after a public ."drawing" in the manner of a racing sweep of the aggregate of jurors who may be required for a court session extending over two weeks or more, there, is n further division of those selected into groups. Each group is given not ice to attend during a particular period, and for three days prior to their first appearance in court anyone may inspect, a list Itent in the sheriff's office of the names and addresses of nil jurors in any group. . If by approaching jurors in advance in the interests of a person awaiting trial only ono man's support is secured, his stubbornness is sufficient to produce a disagreement.; and after three disagreements, as a, rule, the Crown abandons a prosecution. Sometimes, if the case 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 jurors in advance were rendered impracticable one trial would much more frequently result in conviction or acquittal, and Hie Crown would lx> raved great unnecessary expense. The scandal of the siiectaele now presented of utter futility in the exercise of the machinery of the law in so many cases to secure'n. verdict one way or the other, makes remedial legislation urgent. In New South Wales no inspection of jury lists is allowed.

The matron of the hospital- desires to acknowledge, the falowiiijr gifts:—Flowers, Mrs. Tonks and Mrs. Hills (weekly): handkerchiefs. Mrs. Luke; clinir and three cushions, Ijidy Liverpool, per Mrs. Luke (Tied Cross); (rifts for soldiers. Red Cross. Children's Ward: Large scrap book, I'elorus Bridge School children; flowers, ft iris' College; postcards and hooka, Mrs, Snclly.