A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 886, 4 August 1910, Page 5

A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.

in the conrse of His address at the Druids' Hall last F.M.'B. Fisher, M.P., although he denied that ■what is known in America as ."TammanyIsm" existed in New Zealand, expressed an apprehension that , ' something of the kind might easily arise'unless ( effective steps were taken to'prevent its growth. It .was undeniable, -lie; said, thabthe distribution of public money in this country affected the result "of. elections. The sooner local bodies were supplied with grants in proportion to their needs and allowed to carry out their own works tho better it would be for the country. Another • related question with which llr. Fisher dealt at some length was that of the special grants made last year to the Chief .Justice (Sir-Robert Stout) and the Hon. Mr.. Ngata. In'., addition to his Balary as a Judge, Sir Robert Stout had received ,£4019 for his work on the Native Land Commission and'a sum of ,£lll3 for i his work in connection with statutes compilation. Mr. 1 Fisher frankly admitted that:the characters.of these, gentlemen were above, suspicion, but claimed at the eame time that the payments were wrong in principle, and established a dangerous precedent. A judge in .particular should be absolutely beyond,the reach ..of the Administration in respect of his remuneration. For his labours in presiding over the • Meikle Commission, Mr.. Justice Edwards had received no payment whatever. It was never intended that a judge of the Supreme Court should be within. • the reach of Parliament or the Crown in the matter of gift or favour. They might be grateful" that they had a man of such ; high integrity,as Chief Justice,' but at -the same time the payments made were . examples of a. pernicious "practice that ought to.be checked and stopped.