THE DISTIRCT COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2102, 10 June 1907, Page 1

THE DISTIRCT COURT.

A JUDICIAL PARABLE. At Dannevirke recently J udgeHasolden held the first sittings of the District Court in that town. In reply to an address of welcome from the Bar, he made use of an amusing and instructive parable, saying that lie preferred to speak of the District Court by way of a parable, and in this manner ho might liken it to a ship well and worthily built some fifty years ago by an eminent firm of engineers. She was fitted with compound engines to deal with civil and criminal work, and with triple expansion for bankruptcy, probate, and appellate jurisdiction. She bad been in charge of many captains, some of whom were said to be overcautious and some over-bold. She had been on the rocks, and had been -repaired and altered, and some of the alterations were said to bo unsuitable to her original structure. She had suffered chiefly from the over-zeal of officers who continually tapped on her boilers to see if they were sound, with the result that thin places were found, and once or twice an explosion occurred. She was, however, still capable of many years useful work, and could trade to places where the work did not require the stately liners of the Supreme Court. Tlio future depended on the care witli which the vessel was handled, and a knowledge of where danger lay and where the navigation was safe. He commended this parable to their attention, and his last word was, “Do not tap on the boilers.” His Honor once more Uliiinked the Bar for* tlio kindly expression of feeling towards himself.