WAR AND THE LAW

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2707, 29 February 1916, Page 5

WAR AND THE LAW

dearth of jurors. There are few quarters in whioh the war has not made itself felt. It has even wormed its way into the Law Courts, where a shortage of lurymen has set in. A similar shortage, by tho way, is being experienced in England. For some little time past the " Supreme Court in Wellington has noticed tho coming slump in jurors. The dearth is directly attributed to the war. Jurors' are called, and it is found" that they have gone to the war or are in canip. Then, some of those called have been left short-handed in business through their assistants having donned lcliski, and they- ask to be exempted on that account.

The difficulties/of ensuring a sufficient supply of jurors is expected to be accentuated in the near future, and the provincial. towns are reckoned to feel the pinch to a greater extent than the city. An idea of the v shortage may bo gathered from the fact that' recently, when about sixty jurors were called, only a little over thirty were obtained. It is said that remedy . must be sought very soon, and that the list of exemptions from jury service may be reduced. Therefore, there are thought to be more unlikely things than an early; amendment of the Juries Act. Among those who are exempted from service on juries are chemists and doctors.