The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1207, 16 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1878.

Thk Proud foot case lias occupied a. large shave of public attention in Dunedin. When it first came on for trial the journals there—to their great discredit—

<rave the fullest details of the evidence adduced, not omitting oven the most shameful'particulars. Our readers may remember that the case —one of rape—came before two separate special juries, and that both had to bo discharged on account of being unable to come to a verdict. At that trial it came out in evidence that a medical man, presumed to be acting in the interests of the accused, had ottered large pecuniary bribes to the parents of the girl in order to get (he matter hushed up. Since then it is stated that the prosecutrix has left the colony, and that there is a strong presumption that she was bribed to do so. Much curiosity, therefore, was manifested to learn what would be done during the present session of the Supremo Court. It was Imped that the case would be brought before a common jury, or the venue removed to some other place, free from the influences said to be prevalent in Dunedin. Before the session commenced, however, the Wellington correspondent of one of the Dunedin papers stated that owing to political influence at head quarters the Government would not take any further steps in Proudfoot’s case, and whatever may have been the reason, it turns out that the Cabinet has actually decided not to proceed with the case. This decision appears to have awakened strong feelings on the spot, and to us at a distance the case has a very ugly appearance, and it looks very much like as if there was one law for the rich and another for the poor. The Dunedin Slur, in an article on the subject, says: —“The decision arrived at by the Cabinet was quite in accordance with the expectation of those who knew ■ the wire-pullers’ and the ‘wire-pulled’

—a decision which wo venture to think will invoke unpleasant notice when Parliament meets, and will certainly have to be defended and a justification attempted. This was clearly a case in which a nolle prosequi should not have been entered, but, in the interests of public morality, and in vindication of justice, another trial by a common jury, with a change of venue, should have been ordered, and the girl, if she has left, should have been brought back. The plain fact is that, in a case where the evidence was so clear that no doubt was left upon the public mind, so clear that it satisfied the committing magistrate, the Grand Jury, and at the very least fourteen out of twentyfour Dunedin special jurymen, the Grown has stepped in and saved a criminal from the consequences of his guilt. It stands now on record, that, under our boasted free institutions, and by a Government whose watchword is ‘ The equal rights of man,’ it has been proved to demonstration that there is one law for the rich and another for the poor stripes and a dungeon for a Gatoly, delicate handling and a perfect impunity for a Proudfoot.”

The Auckland Herald contains a short report of tho address of Dr. Wallis to his Auckland constituents. Ho began his speech, as might have been expected, with a Scriptural joke, and then went on to give his reasons for opposing some Bills and supporting others. Tho Education Bill, he said, was the best and most statesmanlike Bill which had emanated from the late Ministry, And he had supported it in every respect except one. He could not aj wnort the introduction of the reading of Scriptures in school. The speaker then went on to cieserfbe the several Parliamentary combats which Wuk place during last session. It had boon sydd that tho personnel of tho House had degenerated of late, and he admitted that this might be so, but ou the other hand ho was «juoh struck by the 3.wci> dipp|#yp4 by pope of tfoe nopt

conspicuous members, singling out Sir G Grey, Major Atkinson. Mr. Donald Reid, and Mr. R. Stout. Fancy Mr. StoiD classed along with Major Atkinson and Mr. Donald Reid. An examination of Ihnmrril, it is true, shows that Mr. Stout, thought it. his duty to talk a* wearisome length on every question that came before the House, but that is no great indication of mental power. As became an Auckland representative, the speaker was bound to praise Sir G. Grey to the utmost. His advent to power, ho said, inaugurated a new era —an era of equal representation and fair taxation. Dr. Wallis said he was prepared to support universal suffrage. and would go for making the Upper House elective. At the same time he wished to see property fairly represented, and wanted it. to bear its just share of the public burdens. At the close of a rather tame speech, a vote of thanks and confidence in Dr. Wallis, as a representative in Parliament, was carried unanimously.