OUR JURY SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 929, 23 September 1910, Page 6

OUR JURY SYSTEM.

.; /Sir,—l .noticed':a letter:;in'' your journal \*'V;U \a^■few;.days^'ilgo>ia\'MicHv.the^"TOte^'«c-'' :l ■^•v'i pressed..great;;dissatisfaction■ with'"our"--:'"' ■jury, system.;/This dissatisfaction'- would*--- ■'■ - ■ appear ,tb : be shared'by'sbme'm'embers' of ''.'':' ; tto ; ;legal prdfe^on/^fOT^one-Sell-known';!'-: 1 v bas recently:, declared,-?.'■ "'.■ •that' the. jury..system -"is rotten'/'-',Doubtfe.' : / ' less; many/;oi : your: readers.-".wbuld.'like ■"to , ,;V'/'!v: have; your.;.views';pn;;tb^^^ ;told;,thatYthe .jury; in 'every.;case: is-;Vse- '■?;'&: lectedvfrpln;a;.list: of, sons 'who, 'are:, summoned-/, the' ■'■'*• ; Court/':-that this,;-list V'^ :clerk 'of 'the, Court; and issued:in printed i.V'''v; ;fc>rm;)hree.'er,, ; is heard.', ;It appearsvtolmeUhat':tMs f arVv^^:^ ■rangemeht.:'op'ens'v.tte.'door';for.'f6ul: playy':"/ /;" In I .the. first.:placeUt' ; .is.Tather'='6bjectibni:r : 'Vi ; : able, .that ;,one person: should 'prepare 'thß';'£'- s fist. It ; wbuld be's'afer;:'perhaps;- ii 6bma :: ;' ; ■'; r: cases;if ..'the.'persons .'to'.;be. summoned /for' : ::' service ;as;; jurors;: were: presence'; of I counsel '.'representing 'fi k '-'i* :the : litigah^.-nVwouldalsblbe, very; much ! : ■'':'•. safer.-; if/The. jury /.list 'were issued \only./a i ' v :V:'-''; the; trial.-/UnsCT^ thus: have -little 'time,,for; secret'-; pperai 1 !-.';.-:,-': ;,tiohs.;.-It ;is' true; : that'cbunsßl::.have : !thaVs'"::''-''< nghtibf: challenge,'but; -t'¥ ; " ■that';: they;'do,Vhbt^knbw-:a''single' ; person '■*:?;-: whose name' is'; oh'the.'jury: list^andiyet^' ''s■:.< : a.- gr'eatrVdealv of -'backstair /business' : ;may}/,£:::j/ have'been :dbriS:'w^thfOTme : ;oiVthe .plaintiffsjbr' defendants; who 'use^.moheyv ( ; ;: ; ahd'friends pointsput i that in- some; cases; judges; are \'''% ■ 'not compelled - by.-, derlock.;and,key,''frbh] ;-fbJish.'.'of , ,aj'ca,se.:-s;Surely; : ,tbis compulsionA'.Vv ought :to"; exist'in .all'; cases; :.an'd 'especially i?;?/"" as;we'have..h^^ litigants- and:;their; friends''''speaking: ? - : toi x ■ '■*£ - jurors!.during andf:makihg.' : .?;'' ithem.;' gifts of/liquor,' ■ etc:'; r; These; ought':'-■'-:' .to; be';made:; very. ;seribu's' ; ,bffehces,v>;Virith'iv-r'''S' :very:'seyere.'penalties'attached S-. sincerely;! hope;that;these ''matters'\'wiU-'4"--'--v lmve;the/ v eafnest ! attention 'of '-;'?" "wiUTa'dnseiffi'K the' .■ Government; &'■ maEe: suck"vchanges ?x : : (i iny.the.law.-jas; will'prevent"foul;'play;.as £'v'~/:/ far,as'.'possible; ; : V/ ;y:oi;j )ipi Ai : -'-R-i: • ;7;;A. few \ wbrds;;as/.to/;cases. being- heanif';'!''-;,'-: ,in:,;camerav '■■:-, ■This'';'may-.'bccasiohally7 .per-' !?.'•;: * ;haps,' have but:;not :a¥H '"'' ieV stern; moralists;hbld;;that^ v /tends: more; to:check.:immorality. -ithaa' its ;J ;•.':■■- 'full/exposure; ii r opeh .Court,'.'and* public.pressl^Th'ey^arelsupported '•■£-'? jview; by in'//; recent/- Vdivor'ce 'ti'Q cases,.who,:'in .th6;ihter'eiis'i6f-:iusiice''and--'.'/. , ':V-'' ; m'6xaliiy,"v: desired—tiiat/V'/;/: the; cases' should' ■.Guilty, people always:love "darkness rather ,'P '; than.lighti-.,;The;-lightif makes■ manifest : ' : :what; they;are./'This is/very.desirable'in-/.i\ -' ..the'interests- of-society,'! and especially; in'S?;V : t 'the,/interests'ofinnocent ..girls,- "who' i awares, are at ■ present of ten ..brought 7 into; ■¥■i;' ■. cphtaot with, human;serpbnts,; ; who'''spehdrftf:';'; /their/lives, iii; polluting and destroying ',mnocent;and; breaHn'g ;'up v/In cphclusibn/jwe-hecd cheap: justice;?ln;;; ; /--''i:: .no 'country'is; justice:dearer -thai/in -this : . ; -•?■■'■ 'country?; We' need; real- : Jus ties; Depart-;/i;' ; ;l ?, meht-^so'that justacer'may/.become one'of -./' ;,'0 ; the /;cheapest|V;instead S'pf';;orie/. t of-'/ theyVV/j ■ deirest,:;things;; : :a':';pOTr.'hian-;in ! -:''-.-;; ; New' 2fea}_a'nd, is' now;:denied';'justiw;be^:>:;-.;'';';'. : ;. cause 1 it;is .tbo:,:'dear;ahd/-altogether.-:be-.X.M-; •ypnd;Ms;means;'>;When .the' Labour party;';'.';;;•" sget; intd/pbwer -one : of;,;.the; : first t ;things! ;J i- - ::; they-;wilLjdb'.-wiU''b6;■ i .te: , .bring-:;;'justica !: f:':;' i !:r-amr'et<ti : *:'- : '';''-;iW*"=";7':':'.\' i :■ '.rS.■;>;;•';;:; '"-' .FELIX HOLT^;;^;.: