PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1915. SPECIAL JURIES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 October 1915, Page 2

PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1915. SPECIAL JURIES.

A provision of the law wherewith Parliament might concern itself to the public advantage is that relating to special jury lists. The theory underlying the empaneling of a special jury is that when a case o! a technical nature calls lor decision there, may be available (at the, discretion of a Supremo Court judge) the (services ol jurymen possessing technical knowledge, professional training and commercial experience in lull or part degree. Tins arrangement was sufficient lor the needs of civil processes before the system of Workers' Compensation for Accidents came into vogue, but in Jate years there lias arifce-n .so much cause for litigation over these matters, and the giving of expert evidence regarding secondary effects of injuries, that the time seems ripe for lead justing the method of compiling special jury lists. The basic principle of fair administration of the law lies in the theory that all classes should have representation in the jury panel. Ability to cope with the special needs of exceptional eases has to bo insisted on in certain technical causes, but so far as Worriers' C'ompciution Act casus are con-

cerned there should be (we think) a leaven of w orking-cla.ss representatives added to the special jury list. There are fair-minded, educated men to ue found in the manual wording cla&ses just as in those more fortunately placed, and that principle seems unfair which debars this class lrom having its representatives on , the special jury list. Whoever is charged with the compilation of theselists well might endeavour to leaven the lists in this regard to the end that less oauiso will arise for a just protest such as that made in the Supreme Court at Wellington, this month, by a claimant's .solicitor, who opposed the 'setting up of a special jury to try a case for compensation lor accident caused to a labourer.