A Word for Grand Juries.

Manawatu Herald, 11 August 1892, Page 3

A Word for Grand Juries.

At the sitting of the Gisborne Supreme Court Judge Conolly referred to the possibility of the abolition of grand juries this session, the duties being discharged by the Crown Prosecutor. He thought an instituu tiori which had stood the test of Centuries must have good in it. From his experience at the bar and his experience as judge he could not agree with the abolition of grand : juries, they had frequently prevented ■ people from being placed upon trial who ought never to have been committed. In a country like this were . magistrates very often have no legal assistance, people were committed i who ought not to have been. The ■ grand jury was a valuable institution ' to stand between the prisoner and the charges that had been made

Hgainsfc him. It is true that in the District Court the practice of a Crown Prosecutor preferring bills had been in existence for years. Whether the practice had worked well or ill he could not say, but he did not think it would be advisable to dispense with a body of independent men and place their powers in an officer of the Crown who would thus be in a difficult position. He did not think the Crown law officer should be asked to undertake the responsibility. His Honour concluded by stating that as this might be the la9t time he would have to address the grand jury, he could not help saying that he felt that the abolition of the system would not be beneficial.