SERVICE ON JURIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 February 1929, Page 11

SERVICE ON JURIES

C.T.A. REQUEST EXEMPTION. WELLINGTON, February 21. A deputation from the United Commercial Travellers’ and, Warehousej men’s Association, of.. New _ Zealand i waited recently upon the Minister for • Justice (the,Hon. Mr. Wilford) to.ask . for. the exemption of bona fide commercial travellers .from service on juries. The Association,, through its general ■ secretary, . Mr. AV. F. Herrick, pointed out that great inconvenience and consequent loss were caused by comnier- . cial travellers being recaller from various parts o£ New Zealand in the middle of business transactions to serve on juries. The Minister asked the Association ' what was its definition of a “bona fide commercial traveller,” and Mr. Herrick replied that a “bona fide commercial traveller is a traveller engaged in doing solely wholesale business, that is (a) selling to the trade for some person, firm, or company; or (b) buying for some person, firm, or company carrying on a wholesale business, and who has been so engaged for a period of at least six consecutive calendar months, which period shall have been spent in the Commonwealth of Australia or in New Zealand.” A copy of the certificate issued by the Association was handed to the Minister, who stated, after perusing the same, that he- would consider the question, first of all, whether the deflation put forward by the Association was sufficiently comprehensive. On the main question, he added, he was prepared to sugegst when the Juries Act came up for review that the exemption suggested should be made, but the Association would have to understand that, the amendments proposed in that Act must be considered and approved by Cabinet before any definite assurance could be given them. In the meantime, however, he, as Minister for Justice, favourably considered the application.