JURY SERVICE BY WOMEN

Southland Times, Issue 24877, 17 October 1942, Page 5

JURY SERVICE BY WOMEN

House Passes Bill (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 16. In moving in the House of Representatives today the second reading of the Women Jurors (No. 2) Bill, the Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, said jury service by women was made voluntary so that the necessity of dealing with exemptions would not arise. In England women were giving compulsory jury service and the scheme was working well. Mrs M. M. Dreaver (Nat., Waitemata), who introduced the original Bill, said women’s organizations throughout New Zealand had been asking for the right to serve on juries for years. Hundreds of women would offer for jury service. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, said that every member of the House would concur with the Bill. Mrs C. Stewart (Lab., Wellington West), and Mrs A. N. Grigg (Nat., MidCanterbury), also expressed support for the measure, which was read a second time. The Bill was then considered in committee. Mr C. W. Boswell (Lab., Bay of Islands) said he was astonished that women members of the House had not pressed for compulsory service for women jurors, because that was the only way in which they would get the best type of women to do the job. The Bill was approved by the committee, read a third time and. passed.