THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 674, 26 November 1909, Page 5

THE HOUSE.

: :;. ,'Wfl.en • the"' House' .resumed yesterday, after: .:'■ üboni the Mining:, Act Amendment. Bill (the. HbnV.R.: M*Kenzie), was ■ introduced and read a ;.-.first; tua'fc«:i^|W#.(:j'.-'':!is'»'.'- '"■''/:)'■;''■■''"•■'■'■■'■;—;''' bill. j; : .;y;T^':de|a^ : qn;:ir.'^T^^vTayloVii! ; motioii:-to ,•:... introduce;' a -Grand, Juries: Abolition'- Bill • was ::. lesumedXh/'; 1 -;^.:■■>''.; , v- , ~ ! . , fe - C:- : ' , --':. : ,V:: ; :'■'■'■■ : vMrrT.;H.:DiyEY:(Chri3tcburcli'East) .said '; ;■ that the deliberations of ; thefgrand jury .were ,-■■■; absolutely, . and, ' probably;;: absolutely. ■ ;■;'■'farcical. ■'■./. Judging.-.by.', newspaper?- reports '..of <:■ •; what! took ; place, in;grand jury rooms ■ tueir pro- '■'••. 'ceduxe ; was ■■ a fa-avestry : of. ju'stice.7 If the grand '. iiiry,f eystem ; ;was"\retained. the .reporters snould 'be ."present: , in the'grahd .jury fbom. ■' :■ ' ■■ ■': r- ,;Slr.\.T.vE:;• TAYLOR .(Uhristcharch North) -:• Ba'idhe had'been'informedi 'since making his : : on the. previous'day, .that: v.the.! -state-' '■•':' nwnt: that, the'pand; jury 'in.the Hiimphreyß ,scaSe had' examined -witnesses;, w-ho.'/were not heard in. the lower. Court .was' denied.- '--■ •:■'•■• ,; :, ,Mr: 'DAVEY-.'reacl a- ;teleg;am -sent- by the •'■. "Crown; . Pr6secutor :: "at,"-- Chiistchurch ' ■.(Mr.: v • Stringer)>to. ; Dr,.:Findlay,;containing this, ' .nial. ■Mr.;..StriiiK'eT- added 'that tho names, of , ;eome witaessea..wtio'had.been;called ; for the de- ;. ■ ■ ■ fence" were {placed iby ;,him on ■ tho .indictment, . .because'. they, -were?.' highly •'' resp , ectable ; ■ men, ... whom he intendqd;alsp;to,coll'.before tho com-■•'.•'■-'.ffibn v juty'.■:■ 'i'here;TvaSVuo doubt,'wrote :'the ~-'' CrowntPrbsecutorj; that rthe'-'grand jury: should ;, have:found a .true'billi'-and they were practii> •. V.ally/so-instructedißjr.';.the' : Judge; '■ Mr. Dayey, ; ,;■.■ continuing.'.said ithat.:a, very high legal author- ■;■• -Hty, had-stated , that in/certain, cases a Crown ;'■■'•-. Prosecutor'., , was ■ justified.' in; placing ■ names of 'the.- witnesses 'f or/ii the':; defence -son''; an - :indiot■\ment.. ■'■<■''-.. ■''*%<■■ v ■./■);:-.':::<;■, y,_. ; ;-.■■•„•■.■■.■■,■;•■•' ; ; Sir: WILLIAM ,; STEWARD.'■ (Waitaki) con- ;., demned-.the • grand •'■jury ..systemi. as ~.,•' and■ unnecessaryi '.He; was afraid that the Bill '..,' ladlho 'chancel'thisVs'essio'ir, 'but : ',he wdnld like. - ~,to : 6ee' ; 'it•passed V i;:^ : r. l; .:-'•'-.' : . ; .:■'. :•■'• . ■■- ■■• *w.Mr. .BATJME (Auckland East), said there was .. 'a .great; deal^to> belaid, for Mr. Taylor's prov;-. 'posal.; In. past days^th'o l grand, jury system ■ ; had done eorvicci'but now he'thought' ■; -the work .could -be well done : by: the .'.'. Crown Prosecutor■ or ; some other' Government ''■"!■ ..official,- as in ■ Scotland ;■ it'.is. .done by .'■ the' pro- . :", curator 'fiscal:./He ; : thought;it should .be done '■:'■,■'• by:,someone;. they; should''not • leave the de- ■•■'.' cision as "to whetherJthero" was, K.prima facie ■■; ,iC!ise to a justice bf. the. peace. The 'attendance ' . ; bfV'the,.'inn"gistrate;:.'to-.; ; enablova \ man' ,tb ' -be •-.- not at'all : tmusual.' .:» •'A,.yei7;DnuSaal''coTirse: : yas , -taken' in allowing : ■■:.witnesses;\fbri'.the:;'defence"to ,be v :examined by v; .tbeigrandijnry-^i^^-'---v:..v': !■•..•,./:■■'■ ■"■■■■ ■■'■: *virr. '■TAYLpE■icharacterieed- : \ the' ; '■ teleriam ... /from! Mr. Stringer : as-a very remarkable- nocu- ■-' . 'injedt.r -Hβ. commented Jon • the •- reference ...to > ■:..". Hghly,.-' respectable'' - witnesses,":; and ; declared : .;-;thatifc'hadil3oen a highly respectable trial/ 'It :'. "::;!'i ;'wa3 r .Prime;'Minister :l-i Wieve^^,l-,would ;rc- :; , '■'. movb...Mr;: Strin"ger;;frpm .iis "office.' on.,the; con•■':•■■•■.•'.■fessioßi'Hof /:docnin'ent, -only.":; '■'. \'•-,,■':■',.:"■. 7- ./y 1 The Bill was" read , a;first'time,' and.the second :" ; '■■iwo^:.eet>4pF? ,^o !^ i s?^l*! e M a y;' : ?.??V.'i-.'";v V 'V .■v'i : :'->^iffie''JbnnsOTVilie^pWn l Soani^eojh!lo , 'iiglit-. :•'[ ing Bill % (Mi,' ; LuJiß^aHntr6dnced.andT.ead;a ■pV-.'fij«.jtifflfc i i > >V''^ , As i^'! '-''" i ; ;;: : -.;-- : -:' v.' :; S'