THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE.

Evening Star, Issue 3716, 20 January 1875, Page 3

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE.

To the Editor. Sm,—The new Minister of Justice, Mr Charles Christopher Bowen, is a different stamp of man to hia predecessors in office Messrs Sewell, Bathgate, and 'VRorke. Mr Bowen may be called a Colonial, but he has all the instincts of a cultivated English gentleman. Arriving in the Colony at au early age with his father, Mr Charles Bowen (for years speaker of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, and noted for his dignified manner in the chair, and for the pci feet order aed high tone maintained by the Council), he has seenmany phases of Colonial life, and has been an official from his youth. Mr Bowen is a native of Ireland, was educated, it is said, at Rugby, and is now about fortyfour years of age. He has an agreeable, genial, gentlemanly appearance, is redundant in health and physical vigor, and has a ready, pleasant address, and is personally popular ; these he combines with plenty of energy and determination, and, above all, an unimpeached character in public and private life. He was brought up at the feet of the chief of the Canterbury Pilgrims, Mr Godley, the originator of the settlement, and afterwards Undersecretary for War ; and of Mr J. E. Fitzgerald, also one of the leaders of the Pilgrims, a former Superintendent of Canterbury, original proprietor of the ‘ Press,’ and now Comptroller-General of the Colony. He acted as secretary to these gentlemen, and also as Inspector of Police to the infant settlement. He was for some years after Provincial Treasurer of Canterbury, and as such was in office when railways and telegraphs were first mooted. From that office be became Resident Magistrate in 1864, on the retirement of Mr Joseph Brittan, which office he has since L Id. As a magistrate, Mr Bowen’s decisions have given 'general satisfaction, and have been received by the public and the profession as the judgments of a well-read, honest, painstaking man. He was noted for the patience with which he would plod through trivial cases, for the acuteness with which he would unravel doubtful evidence until he got at the truth, and for the Hush of anger that would mantle his cheek on detecting the lying op equivocation of any parties ■ whilst his genial manner to both the profession i-nd the public sent all parties away satisfied. Although not a lawyer, it is allowed that Mr Bowen is well posted up, and has been a diligent student. Both the Government and the profession, it is well known, had groat confidence in his judgment and impartiality—so much so, that many important cases, that otherwise would have formed matter for the Supreme Court, were by the profession left to bis decision as arbitrator ; whilst by the Government he was select; d to investigate the Kiunersley affair on the West Coast, the inquiry re Judge Clark, the adjustment of the boundary lines between Canterbury and Otago, and other important matters fequiriug and soqnd j augment. On retiremuat of Mr Ivloorbouse, Superintendent Canterbury, ami whilst holding office as R.M., Mr Bowen was invited to stand for Cm office, and would have been returned unopposed. For certain fcasops lip refused. I luring that time he lias also taken a leading part in education matters, and. as chairman of the board, it may he said that the educational system of Canterbury owes Mr Bowen a great debt. He has also taken a prominent part in collegiate and university matters.

Mr Bowen’s attainments in literature are allowed to be great, r.nd he is generally credited with being a contributor to the Press on educational and Imperial topics, and is said to be a ready and powerful writer. Mr Bowen is seen to great advantage at celebrations, inaugurations, or convivial meetings, and his speeches at the unveiling of the Godley statue, the Hibernian Society, and on other occasions, were sufficient to stamp him as an eloquent and well-informed speaker. hio greater mistake can be made than to suppose, as some do, that Mr Bowen, because he has not figured prominently as a politician, is a novice. Mr Bowen is an old stager in politics, and has been for years in intimate relations and correspondence with some of the most influential politicians in the country, and so his advent to the Assembly will prove. He is ready in speech, an acute reasoner, and undoubtedly well informed, and s me who anticipate a failure on his appearance, from the fact of his hitherto political non existence, will have reason to change their opinion, or I am unable to estimate character. In any case, it is a satisfaction to know that Mr Vogel, amongst his other attainments, has had the sagacity to select so well-qualified a colleague.—l am, &c., Simon Brown. Dunedin, January 16.