Heavy Criminal Calendar (Press, 7 February 1940)

On 6 February 1940, the Chief Justice of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Myers, addressed the Grand Jury at the commencement of the criminal sessions in Auckland. During his speech, he expressed regret at the prevalence of crime in the Auckland district, contrasting it with the expectation of congratulating the community for a decline in criminal activity. Sir Michael highlighted that out of 24 cases slated for the session, involving 26 individuals, a concerning trend was evident: there were 10 sexual offences among them, notably involving girls under the age of 16. Alarmingly, two of the cases involved girls who were under 12 years old. Additionally, there were two cases concerning homosexual offences. He remarked on the seriousness of these offences and the impact they have on the community. Furthermore, he provided context to the issue by referencing the last three months, during which 73 individuals had received sentences from the Court. Out of those, 11 cases were categorized as sexual offences. This addressed the ongoing concern of sexual crimes within the region, underscoring a troubling pattern that the judicial system was grappling with. The Chief Justice's observations served to highlight a significant societal issue, emphasizing the need for community awareness and response to such crimes.

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