THE GRAND JURY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 27, 26 October 1937, Page 4

THE GRAND JURY

"Constitutional Safeguard," Says Justice Ostler PRESERVING LIBERTY "The Grand Jury remains a constitutional safeguard of our liberty, ' ' said Mr Justice Ostler during his charge to the Grand Jury at the opening of the October sessions of the Supreme Court at Napier this morning. The Judge did not make any comment on the question of crime in the district, but stressed the prime importance of the Grand Jury as a part of the judieial system of Ihe country. "It has often been suggested that Grand Juries have outlived their usefulness," said the Judge. "1 used to think that way before I became a judge, but 30 years upon the Bench have convinced me to the contrary. "In most instances the preliminary work of committing a man to trial is carefully and properly done, but in many cases in New Zealand the preliminary hearings a,re taken before justices, who cannot be expected to be fully trained. In some cases men afe committed for trial m cases where there is Uo evidenee at all. It is there that the function of the Grand Jury is so useful." The Judge instanced a case which had come before him at Gisborne a few years ago, A man had been called from across the street by a drunken man. who, when his call was not answered, accosted tbe other and tried to start a fight. He was given a push, fell, and died from a fractured skull. "The Magistrate committed that man for murder, and if it had not been for the Grand Jury he would have had to stand his trial on that count," the Judge pointed out. 4 1