VALUE OF GRAND JURY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 197, 21 July 1937, Page 11

VALUE OF GRAND JURY.

DEFENCE BY JUDGE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 20. “It is always disturbing to find crime oil the increase.” said Mi- Justice Callan in bis address to the Grand Jury in the Supremo Court when the quarterly criminal i;rjrssi/ons opened. His Hon our said be regretted to have to say that the list of cases set down for trial was larger than had been the case for some time. Any system that would tend to keep down crime would be watched with interest. “All told,” saul His Honour, “there a.re 26 indictments, a large number for a city like Auckland.” From time to time there had been discussions as to wluat useful purpose the Grand Jury served. (Some held that the Grand Jury should be alxilished, but with that view lie entirelv disagreed. All matters that would come before the Court during the sessions had been dealt with by Magistrates or Justices of the Peace, who had decided in each instance that a prim a facie case had been made out. “You.” said His Honour, “are here to check whether there is or is not a fit case to go before the common jury. It is very important that this matter should not be left to Specialists. Magistrates and police are specialists, but it is a very good thing for you to look into the work of these specialists.”