WOMEN JURORS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20917, 17 October 1942, Page 3

WOMEN JURORS

VOLUNTARY SERVICE MEASURE PASSED (P.R.) ’ WELLINGTON, this day. Approval of the purpose of the Women Jurors (No. 2) Bill was expressed by all who spoke on the subject in the House of Representatives last night and it was put through all stages and passed without amendment. The bill provides that women between the ages of 25 and 60 years who possess the necessary qualifications as jurors may serve on juries if they wish to. By making jury service for women voluntary, said the Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, they were avoiding the necessity of dealing with applications for exemption. In England, women were giving compulsory jury service and the scheme was working well. Mrs. M. M. Dreaver, who introduced a bill earlier in the year when it was declared out of order, said that the women’s organisations of New Zealand had been trying to obtain such a measure for some time and hundreds of women would enter their names for jury service. Some of the objections made in the past to the idea of women serving on juries did noi apply now. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, said that every member of the House would concur with the bill and Mrs. C. Stewart and Mrs. A. N. Grigg also supported the measure. During the committee stage, Mr. C. W. Boswell said he was astonished that the women members had not pressed for compulsory jury service by women because, in his opinion, tha* was the only way in which they would get the best type of women to do the job.