DISTRICT COURTS.

Evening Star, Issue 2898, 3 June 1872, Page 3

DISTRICT COURTS.

The letter of Judge Gray, which appears in the Daily Times this morning, bears out the assertion that has been publicly made, and must have been brought under Mr Macassey’a notice before asking the Provincial Council to condemn the appointment of Mr Ward as a District Court judge as unnecessary, that judicial work has largely increased in the Province, and on the goldfields especially, during the last two years—ao much so indeed as to render the appointment of a second judge absolutely necessary. It was known then, as it is now, that Judge Gray, on its being suggested to him that a District Court was required at Invercargill, declared that, owing to the mcrease above referred to, he had already more work than he could well manage. And if we turnjo the country papers we find their judicial reports amply prove this. Thus we read in the JYdhdttp of Judge Gray—“ Even now, witl out having to attend Oatnaru, his Honor finds his time fully occupied, with all the diligence he can use. Witness, for instance, an eight days’ sitting lately in our own local Court. In order to endeavor to get through the list Judge Gray, on Saturday, sat from 9 a.m. to 9.45 p.m., with only an interval of about three-quarters-of-an-hour for lunch. His Honor, however, failed, and had to sit all Monday. The cases all present features of public interest in the district, and involve often points of law of feneral importance.” Indeed there appears to e a growing feeling up country in of district courts ; which Mr Macassey’s action has, if anything, strengthened. The il [ail is of opinion that the Government would save a considerable sum of money if they established a Court at Queenstown similar to that presided over by Judge Ward, at Oaraaru, Mid remarks “It would only be necessary to extend to his Honor Judge Gray similar powers. As the case at present stands all prisoners must be sent for trial if committed—to Dunedin. The choice of Invercargill—so much nearer and cheaper of access than Dunedin —is not permitted; and thus the country is driven into an unnecessary and a costly expenditure. Another drawback to the present system is, that the guilty are often allowed to escape, in preference to a committal which would necessitate the expenditure of scores of pounds sterling for the conveyance of witnesses at the trials in Dunedin. Mr Macassey has —unintentionally, no doubt —done a service In thus attracting attention to the value and usefulness of tho.-e Courts.”