THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1882, 2 July 1888, Page 4

THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

We do not at all like the appearance of matters m connection with the vacant Indgeship. What is the meaning of all "this delay on the part of the Government? is the question m everybody's month, and so far as we can gather the answer is eminently unsatisfactory, being neither more nor less than that Ministers are casting about for an excuse for overlooking the undoubted claims of Judge Ward, and setting him aside m favor of somebody else. From one end of the colony to the other the public and the press are unanimous m declaring that Judge Ward and no other Bhould be appointed, and it is perfectly astonishing t'jat Ministers should hesitate for a moment. But they are hesitating, and not only that, for if we are to believe what we read m the telegraphic news, there is a scheme afoot for conferring the Judgeship upon Mr Haggitt, whose only claim, if it be a claim, lies m the fact that he has been for Borne years Crown Prosecutor at Dunedin. But it is suggested that if Mr Haggitt be elevated to the Bench, the Government nrght offer the Crown Prosecutorship which is said to be worth £1600 a year, to another leading Dunedin solicitor m the hope that this would clear the field of a possible political rival. Sir .Robert Stout may know nothing at all about this neat little scheme. We sincerely hope he does not, but even though he be m entire ignorance of it, still it is quite possible that Ministers may have some such purpose m view. If they have proposed to themselves any such line of strategy as this, we earnestly trust that such an intention will be at once abandoned, and that the vacancy on the Bench will be filled up vithout any regard to possible political contingencies. -Ab to the fitness of Judge Ward to the office there can be no two opinions. He is courteous, thoroughly impartial both to counsel and clients, clear-headed, punctual m and attentive to his work, and, above all, patient to hear, prompt to decide, and firm m his opinions and decisions when given. He has acted as a Supreme Court Judge for nearly two years, and has given m that capacity the fullest eatisfaction, and we are of opinion that his permanent appointment would meet with the almost unanimous approval of the Bar and of the public. When it is added, to appointjMrHaggitt, or anyone else, must necessarily be to re-appoint Mr Ward as a District Judge at his former salary of £900 a year, which thus would involve so much additional cost to the colony, the attitude of the Government is simply inexplicable. The question of the appointment has, how ever, been raised m the House, and the Government have explained that they are waiting for the intelligence of the death of Mr Justice Johnston to be confirmed, and that the appointment of his successor will not be made till after the close of the session. Such delay is, we think, highly prejudicial to the high toned independence which belongs to position of a Judge on the bupreme Court Bench.