Page 9 Advertisements Column 3

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3372, 11 November 1911, Page 9

A law Hi as recently become operative in the State of New York under which men and women are liable for jury duty. There is, however, permission ■ for women to plead' sex as an excuse 'if they desire to avoid the duty, and practically all are so doing, giving rise to the charge that whilst they want the vote they are shirking the responsibilities of citizensip. Out of 23 women drawn for service in King's County, 22 gave an excuse, and the only one who served declared that she did so because She needed the pay which jurors receive. After serving one day she also demanded to be excused, because she did not like being locked in the same room with eleven men while considering the verdict. The judge released her from duty, and made an order rectifying this complaint. The jury rooms of Tacoma are being curtained off into two parts, one for man and the other for woman jurors. In several cities each sex is given a different room, and man jurors are permitted to enter the women’s apartment to discuss the joint verdict only on the invitation of the latter. In a case tried at Gellingham six man members of the jury insisted on one verdict and the six women on another. Neither side would give wiay, necessitating a retrial. On the other hand, four women who sat oP a. grand jury in Pierce County agreed entirely with their eight male colleagues.