The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1895.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 300, 24 June 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1895.

CIRCUIT JUDGES.

J -o- — • We are told by the Manawatu Standard that a Bill for the appointment of Circuit Judges of the Supreme Court, who will sit periodically at places where the District Court is now held, is likely to be introduced this session. If the bill becomes law the District Court will be abolished. The main features of the bill are the alterations that the Supreme Court Judges, as at present existing, will sit in the main centres — namely, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland — and would also act as a Court of Appeal ; that the Circuit Judges will dispose of the business in other parts of the colony, but will not be eligible to sit as Judges of the Court of Appeal. It is proposed also to give an appeal for the Magistrate's Court to the Circuit Judges or direct to the Court of Appeal, and from the decision of the Circuit Judges to the Court of Appeal. If this system were adopted there would be an enormous saving in expense, especially iv trials for criminal offences, and there would be more convenience, and saving of expeuse and delays tc litigants, witnesses, an t others. This Bill also provides for the abolition of the Grand Jury system. The proposed measure has certainly some good points, but that portion which pro poses the extinction of the Grand Jury system is certain to fiud favor neither with the Supreme Court judges, nor with a large section of the members of both Houses of Parliament.