JURIES

AGM, November 1965.

'That the Council for Civil Liberties believes that the jury system should be extended to cover cases of appeal against criminal conviction by Courts of Petty Sessions where the offender is liable to receive a sentence of three months' imprisonment or more.'

LAND RESUMPTION PROCEDURES

CM. 28.4.65.

It should not be taken as a precedent that it is the business of the Council to concern itself with specific resumption cases.

OMBUDSMAN

General Meeting (May 1965).

'All Governments - State and Federal appoint an Ombudsman within their sphere of Government along the lines of the New Zealand Ombudsman.'

N.B. Ombudsmen have since been appointed throughout Australia with varying terms of reference.

CARNAL KNOWLEDGE

Letter of 16th September 1965 to New South Wales Minister for Justice, quoted in Newsletter No. 6.

'There is no statutory authority either under the Registration of Birth, Deaths and Marriages Act 1899 (as amended) or otherwise for the adoption of this practice (automatic notification to police, by Registrar General, of details of registration of births to unmarried mothers below the age of 16 years and 9 months) and this Council considers that it is highly objectionable and should be discontinued.'

N.B. By amendment of the Act in 1973 this practice was terminated although the Minister still has legislative power to reintroduce it by regulation in future.