System In Fiji

Move To Abolish Assessor System In Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent.

Suva, Apr. 2.

IN the Fiji Supreme Court most of the criminal cases are tried by the Chief Justice and assessors. The essen tial difference between a jury and asses sors is that the judge has power to over-rule the finding of the assessors.

When this happened in Suva a few weeks ago there was an outcry among the assessors.

The businessmen who act as assessors contend that it is a waste of time sitting all day in court and giving attention to

a case if their decision can be reversed by the judge. A petition has been cir culated among those liable to serve as assessors, asking that the system be dis continued. It is understood that it has been widely signed.

In the case in question, one of lar ceny against an Indian, the two asses sors found the accused guilty on what they contended was a doubt, the bene fit of which the accused was entitled to However, His Honour disagreed with them. He found the prisoner guilty, and sentenced him accordingly.

Mr. Morton Crocker, of the New Guinea Department of Agriculture, arrived in Sydney from Rabaul on fur lough by the March “Tanda”.

THIS bad-tempered cartoon is supplied by a Suva resident, who says: “As the public of Fiji are still harping upon the new arrangement, under which British officials get £7OO p.a., etc., per haps this would be an opportune time to open a subscription, to place a statue in Suva’s Triangle. Design for statue respectfully submitted”.