JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22632, 25 July 1935, Page 10

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

REMITS SUBMITTED TO MINISTER THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM fPEB United Press Association l WELLINGTON, July 24. Twenty-three remits hs passed by the conference of Justices of the Peace were submitted to-day to the Minister of Justice (Mr J. G. Cobbe) by a deputation from the federation of the New Zealand Justices' Association in reply to the suggested abolition of the grand jury system. Mr Cobbe said his department was watching very closely (he result of the experiment in Great Biitain, and the matter would be given full consideration. He agreed that the placarding of the doors of public buildings with objections to the jury list was rather antiquated. He assured them that the Child Welfare Act was being considered and would be revised, particularly in the direction of removing existing anomalies. As regards the remits dealing with motor vehicles, noisy cycles and the danger on the highways, these questions did not come under his jurisdiction, but he would submit them to the Minister of Transport.

Referring to the appointment of justices of the peace, the Minister said that every care was taken to investigate the nominations, and in each case a report was submitted to a stipendary magistrate in each district for consideration. An effort was being made to prepare an up-to-date list of J istices, as it was re cognised that the existing roll was obsolete. Consideration would be given to the suggestion about establishing central offices for use by justices of the peace and members of the public