PRESS COMMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1080, 20 March 1911, Page 6

PRESS COMMENTS.

The .Christcliurch "Spectator" of Saturday says, under tho heading "In Camera":— ''That energstic Wellington paper, The Dominion, has rented out something in the Empire City. It appears that a case'is pending against some member of the Legislature (which branch is not stated), in connection with the administration of an estate, and the keensoonted reporters arc not allowed even to publish tho names of the parties. Ilis Honour the Chief Justice says IS ; o. This, of course, leaves room for the wildest surmises, ranging from a Cabinet • Minister being charged witli crime down to some garden variety M.P. being declared guilty of receiving money and not accounting for it. The fact is,'that although proceedings 'In Chambers'—that is, when the Judge is deciding matters not in open Court—are not fully reported, only tho decisions given being usually handed to the reporters, the names-of the parties are almost invariably given out, and lists are usually published of tho cases that are to come in. Why,'then, should there be nn unusual secrecy in this case. . . No doubt the matter is largely in the hands of the Judges, who may, as a rule, be safely, trusted to see that thero is equality before the law. But it will be a bad thing for New Zealand when tho possession of political position secures to any man dom from publication which goes without Baying in tho ease of other ..men, .

conducted in secret, well and good. But in that case all trials should be secret. Thero should bo no exceptions made. But .wo'are going: backwards at a.rapid rate if tho peoplo:are so content.. At.onc.tiino in oui' race history blood had to be shed to secure public trials. Are wo all so apathetic now that wo do not care whether trials are secret or open? If that ,is tho' case,' then it is time tho country saved money. -It spends an- enormous amount annually for the support of the judicature. ' It pays magistrates, judges, and all kinds of. subordinate officers, in order that justice may bo fairly and lriiblicly administered. If tho administration of justice concerns tho people, and 1 if they h'n'vo to nay the cost, then it is surely wrong for them to l>o not only excluded from tho courts, but to be told that even the names of the parties to litigation may not be published. If wc are to have the judiciary sitting in secret, the country may as well save tho annual vote to defray tho cost, letting those who litigate, arrango for private arbitration, and crimes be. dealt with by vendetta or other similar arrangements." The Christchurch 'Tress" says:—Until we know iuoro of the facts we, cannot join in the outcry which has been, raised in soine quarters against the.action of the Chief Justice in excluding reporters from Clinniber. sittings ill Wellington during the Hearing of matter concerning which there seems to have been a good deal of local curiosity. It is true that in s'ome districts in New Zealand reporters are admitted to the Judges' Chambers to take a brief record of the proceedings, but neither they nor the public have any right'of access, and'it is understood that tho reporters are present by courtesy, and are expected to 'restrict themselves to a brief minute of the orders made. In England, arid ive believe in some parts of New Zealand, reporters are not admitted to Judges' Chambers at all. So far as we can see there is no injury to the public in their exclusion. . . . The fact that in the Wellington 9 a - e a nieinber of the Legislature is said to be involved does not remove it from the usual rule regarding Chamber..sittings. If lis has. done anything wrong and it is not put 1 right, it may be taken for granted that the matter will in due course come before the Supreme Court, to which both the public and the press have a right ot access. If there were any ' attempt to lntrl;e publicity' then, we should be the first to protest. .In the meantime, we have sufficient ■ confidence in the . duet Justice to' b'elieve that'-he has full ' warrant and justification for the course lie has deemed it'proper to take m this mattor. ~ '.'