THE CRIMINAL LAW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10832, 16 August 1898, Page 5

THE CRIMINAL LAW.

A CUMBROUS PROCEDURE, [BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS association.] CimiSTCiitiiiCH, Monday. At the opening of the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court to-day Mr. Justice Den- j niston remarked that in many cases prisoners pleaded guilty in the lower Court, yet the Crown was put to the whole expense of taking evidence again in the Supreme Goint, and witnesses were bound to attend. His Honor saw 110 real difficulty in providing that an opportunity should be given to persons pleading guilty in the lower Court to make and sign a statement of guilt, winch could be treated as evidence, and punishment could be recorded. Later in tho day the grand jury returned a presentment in which they said that, having considered His Honor s remarks in reference to cases of inconsiderable importance in which the accussed admitted offences in the lower Court and were committed in the ordinary course to the higher Court, j in which the whole of the evidence had to be repeated, and in some cases great inconveniencq was 'caused to witnesses and expense to the State, ' they respectfully .pre- 1 rented that a change should be made 111 the procedure affecting such cases in the direction of enabling records of evidence being taken in the lower Court to be used as en- , dence before the Supreme Court, and so avoid the inconvenience and expense entailed in : procuring its repetition. ■