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DEBATE IN COMMONS BILL ABOLISHING SPECIAL JURIES Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 2. When the Attorney-general. Sir Hartley Shawcross, introduced a Bill in the" House of Commons to abolish special juries and provide payment for jurors, Socialist members complained during the debate that the present jury system prejudiced a fair trial on political issues. Opposition members asserted that the Government wanted to abolish special juries because certain Labour Party members had had “ unfortunate experiences in courts.” since the last election. Mr Quinlin Hogg (Con.) suggested that the Government was influenced by the special jury’s decision in the unsuccessful libel action brought by the former Labour Party chairman, Professor Harold Laski, against a daily newspaper in 1946. Sir Hartley Shawcross denied Mr Hogg’s assertions and added that a special jury was an anachronism. Its continued existence was inimical to that appearance of equal, impartial justice which should be fundamental to the British system of justice. Mr T. Paget (Labour) said it was unreal to imagine that politics did not enter into the administration of justice to-day.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 26996, 3 February 1949, Page 5
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177BRISK EXCHANGES Otago Daily Times, Issue 26996, 3 February 1949, Page 5
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