The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-06

I say, but there is good authority 1ot
saying that of the present years jury
list, numbering ESQ names, for the
First Circuit, Is per cent do not I'M
derstand the English language.
Yet the law-Act SO of the Legislature
of 1903, being IAN Act Providing for
the Drawing, Summoning and Empan-
cling of Grand and Trial Jurors
states the following among the quail
fications of a juror:
81 If he is a male citizen Of the
United States and of the Territory of
Hawaii, of the age of twenty-one
years, and possesses the qualifications
of voter" etc.
SO If he can Understandings speak,
read and write the English language"
While a person is declared not COM
petent to act as a juror:
4. Who does not possess the quail
fications prescribed by the preceding
section.
Section of the Act provides that
1.-THE Judge or Judges of each Circuit
Court shall, prior to the first day of
point for the next calendar year two
persons as Jury Commissioners, who
shall be voters of the Circuit, well
known to be of opposite politics and of
good reputa ton for intelligence. mo-
rality and integrity. Should a vacancy
occur in the Office of Jury Commits
sioner at any time, the Circuit Judge
or Judges shall appoint a person to
fill the vacancy. For the time actual
ly and necessarily employed in the per-
Torrance of his duties, each Jury Com
missioner shall be allowed by the
Court or Judge five dollars per day,
to be paid in the same manner as fees
of jurors"
Section directs how the Jury Com
shall perform their duty.
1t is unnecessary here to quote more
than two sentences. with the explana-
ton that it is provided further on
that the list in the First Circuit shall
contain ESQ instead of $50 names. The
section says:
The Jury Commissioners Of each
Circuit shall, before the fifteenth day
Of December in each year, or at any
time If omitted or neglected
before such day, make a list of persons
to serve as jurors in the Circuit Court
Of the Circuit for the ensuing year.
They shall proceed to select and list
from the citizens. voters and residents
IF the several precincts IN the Circuit,
Is near as may be according to and In
with the respective number
Of registered voters last registered in
each of such precincts, the names of
one hundred and fifty persons who, in
heir opinion, are qualified to serve as
jurors under the provisions of this
Act
From the foregoing provisions of the
Jury law, it would appear that the re-
;ponsibility of the Judges for fit pan
FL ends when they appoint the Jury
Commissioners. The Judges of the
First Circuit appointed Charles j. Nc
earthly and J. NJ. Riggs, of Democrat
C and Republican politics respectively,
is Jury Commissioners. These gen.
lemen accepted the positions and in
Tue time made return of performance
# the duties thereof. They handed |
nto court a list of 250 names of per-
ons qualified to serve as jurors"
md the Judiciary officials say they |
we're paid $50 each, being pay for ten |
lays of actual work. Whether or not |
he Jury Commissioners performed |
heir duties according to law may best |
re judged from the character of their |
lnished work.
The appearance on the list they fur
ished Of names of persons who do not |
Understand English, in such large pro-
ortion as is alleged, does not indicate |
hat the duty of selection placed upon
hem by the law was very carefully, /
at all, exercised. 1t is difficult to |
Understand, also, how the name of any
lien or minor could have been re-
1Ened on the list il the Commission
rs had paid any respect to the provis-
IN of the law relative to registered
oters.''
In Judiciary circles it has been open
: stated that the Jury Commissioners
,r the First Circuit did not make up
ne jury list from the registered vo-
rs last registered but instead levied
ibute for their return upon the pages
Husted's Directory.