CHANGE IN THE CRIMINAL LAW.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 836, 13 July 1871, Page 2

CHANGE IN THE CRIMINAL LAW.

A. vitally material alteration ha» lately been made regarding the ordeal of the Criminal Law of New Zealand, by a rule of the 26th of last month, under the signature of the Colonial Secretary, Mr Q-isborne, which, from its recency (notwithstanding its appearance in the " Gazette), cannot be very generally known, namely, that in all felonies and misdemeanours the suffering party, who generally has the disagreeable duty of making the information or charge before the Magistrate, will now have to run the risk and take hia chance of having to boar all the onus and responsibility of the prosecution, if the official whose duty it hitherto has been to prosecute shall choose (which choice he not unlikely will usually make) to cast it off his own shoulders, whereby it becomes placed on those of the already suffering party, the burden aud expense of prosecuting. The public ought to be aware of this; for they will now be required to prepare the necessary indictments and subpoenas, to conduct the cases before the Grand Jary, the Court, aud Petty Jury, to prepare the

Bench- and all the rest, and bear all the* expenses, beyond suffering the criminal loss by the offence. Verily, says the "Bruce Standard," this appears a happy change for all aggressors against the criminal law ! The public were very lately congratulated by his Honour Mr Justice Chapman upon the fewness of criminals then for trial; and certainly, if parties upon whom either felonies or misdemeanours have been committed are aware of the responsibility which is now cast on them by laying their information and complamt, they may probably very geDsibly think the first loss is the ]ea»t, and say nothing about the crime.