PUBLICATION OF EVIDENCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 12 April 1928, Page 9

PUBLICATION OF EVIDENCE

MODIFICATION IN CERTAIN CASES. LEGAL CONFERENCE REMITS. Tby telegraph—press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 12. The Legal Conference to-day discussed a motion by Mr. M. J- Gresson: “That it is desirable that the law should be amended (1) to forbid the publication of evidence in the lower court in all capital cases; (2) to restrict publication of evidence in. divorce cases to names of parties, grounds of the petition, and. the result.”

In support of No. 1, Air. Gres son submitted that the publication of evidence. in capital cases before the Supreme Court stage was reached, though intended for the protection of the accused, operated to bis disadvantage, as it was impossible to expect jurymen not to have been influenced by the case for the prosecution when there, was no cross-examina-tion of witnesses. As to No. 2,' he considered that there was no moral purpose served in giving details of divorce proceedings. The first portion of Air. Gresson’s motion was withdrawn, and. 1 the following by Air. Myers was earned: “That the practice that has grown up in recent years only of the Crown and police prosecutions in certain places making an opening address in the lower court in indictable cases is, in the opinion of the conference, wrong and not in the interests of justice, and the Attorney-General be requested to direct a cessation of the practice.”