JURY FUNCTIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8355, 15 February 1913, Page 8

JURY FUNCTIONS

To the Editor “N.Z, Times.” Sir, —Justice Denmston, reported this morning, outlines tne functions ol jurymen and ■ insists that no special pleading may be made to them. 1 would like to ask whether, if counsel may not make an appeal, it would be justifiable in a judge, under the same circumstances, to make a mandate, in other words a compulsory direction to a presiding panel? As the secrets of tho jury-room are not supposed to be divulged, I will not make my remarks too particular, but all the same I will relate a case. The judge had summed up against the accused, and the jury retired. Then the jury returned, and the foreman cleared his throat for an announcement in accordance with the judge’s direction. There’s many r dip’twixt the cup and tho lip. Counsel for the defence noticed that although twelve jurymen retired only eleven had returned. “Well,” said tho foreman, on getting back to his kennel “what’s the game, anyhow?” seeing tho callow youth, who had failed to f'l’ow. quietly waiting for them “Well” sa : d our friend, in reply “you took the judge’s dictation so much ns a matter ,of course, and wr -n oblivious to your proem- function' Hint T thought it. wouVl do you goo/ 1 +o fall in.” was " 11 ngninnt the jud-w. ns it oFfnji -*s. pud *-ro minutes summed to take the jnrv Iv»clt with an aco"’ttal instead of a /-u-iymt-on. Aue+lior senuel to tV -ff-Hr is w<Hl worth wiyut-ouincr. T™rtvoarc la+.pr. wh-m fbp c-TV-w venfb b-d -vw<u’m n blv rnvurn urn h” hn-nuened fe b« in enuyers-tion w-th a bus ? nea° man --d +ba o : r"U"-- + "uco crerioed I 'r> “T.oek b-wn.’’ said the cal’nw veu^b “I was that, iurv-nnu. It tank u--l-TT-Oi ■PPimfi-.os to CPUTT-UP/V tbp V'.l t -y : H pp-Ivince you in one.” And be d-d. mb p rp/w-I is tb-l +T,p -bpr,ld do v-b"t. T-.-1.-pp T>puulpJ-p„ p..l u-ipR but unlpcs tbpv are a bit stiff in tbe back the judges don’t let them, —I am, etc., HENRY BODLEY. February 14th, 1913.