The Criminal Code Act.

Manawatu Herald, 26 April 1894, Page 2

The Criminal Code Act.

Charging the Grand Jury at New Plymouth the other day, Mr Justice Conolly said : — Since I last appeared before you the Criminal- Code has been brought into force, and U» Act will be of considerable adrantage to grand jurors, because in having the indictments presented before you they will be in plain and intelligible English instead of being ft tait amount of legal verbiage. It will also be of great adrantkge to common jurors in such cases as they have to try. It was almost an absurdity to continue at the present time the old and totally obsolete form which x& unintelligible, and, in my opinion, unnecessary. The^ operations of the Criminal Code Ap^ will bo of considerable importance.* For inst» nee, in criminal case* it will not only be a question of Uw but ft ijuveiton of fact, With regard

to the procedure in court, there are oertain other advantages which will be appreciated, I am sure, by gentlemen serving upon the common jury. Hitherto, in cases lasting over the day ifc was necessary to keep the jury j as it were in custody. This was not only a great inconvenience to the jury, but a great expense to the country.. If a case lasted over the x^y— or even over the usual ad—the jury had to be kept together. Ifc might happen that a case lasted over several days ; it was all the same. The gentlemen serving were not allowed to separate or communicate with any of their relations. Now, however, except in special cases, the jurors will be allowed to go wherever they please. There is a certain amount of ri3k, " inasmuch as an attempt may be made to bribe the jurors, but the advantages of the system no doubt greatly over-balance the disadvantages. The only exception will be in the case of murder.