THE GOVERNMENT THE JUDGES, AND MR BARION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1512, 20 December 1878, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT THE JUDGES, AND MR BARION.

[By Telegraph.]

[l-EOJI THE COERESI’ONDKNT OE THE PRESS, Wellington, December 19.

Mr Barton has replied to (he Government in a letter, a copy of which he has handed to the “ Post ” for publication, as the Government hand-d their reply to him to the Press. He goes at great length into minute details to show that the letter of the Government raises side issues with respect to many of the charges, and wholly ignor. s others. With respect to the sla'omeut in thiir letter that they had consulted none of the judges, he anys : —“The only conclusion I cm lome to is, that the Government had neither hand, act, nor part in the preparation of that letter,

and bad not even read it before it wont to the printer. It is not possible that the Cabinet could have passed over in silence the whole of the charges with which the most prominent Ministers dealt in their speeches, with which the country has been ringing from end to end. On the other hand, circumstantial evidence all points to the real author. The whole letter is “Self defence.” Every sneer it contains, every mean evasion, every turn, thought, and form of expression betrays the writer. 1 have had six! een years experience of his sneers, evasions, habits of thought, forms of expression. I icel no doubt about (hem, whenever I meet them, whether in newspaper articles, courts of judgments or elsewhere. Although it is impossible that the Cabinet could have ignored all ray most prominent charges, it is quite natural that the accused should ignore them, and confine bis defence to those with the particulars of which the public are not familiar. Ever since the tumultuous demand for enquiry which followed my speech rendered it imperative that something must bo done to allay public distrust, Mr Justice Richmond has been absent from his court duties through “ illness.” On the very day I was informed officially that the draft of your letter was completed and would be sent to mo as soon as fairly copied, Mr Richmond steamed out of Wellington Harbor on his holiday trip to the Hot Springs. I can now fathom the purpose of the astonishing statement that “ the Government have not thought it necessary to communicate with any of the Judges,” that purpose being to draw a herring across the scent. I would have hesitated to impute to the Government such a mode of evading their heavy responsibility if I had not already conclusive evidence that on previous occasions they pursued the same course. Incredible as it may appear, Mr Commissioner Shearman swore, in my presence, and it now stands recorded in bis published evidence, that he was ordered by his superior officer (Colonel Reader) to hold no communication with me respecting my charges against the police, anti he produced a letter which he had written to me, which was suppressed by the head of his department.” The gist of Air Barton’s argument is that in their letter the Government attempt to show only the legality of certain decisions. He says he did not seek to dispute their legality, but imputed corruption, which imputation it is not even attempted to answer. He concludes—“ Sir, your letter reveals to me as a lightning flash in darkness the precipice on whose brink I have been standing. 1 now see the destruction that would have befallen mo, had I succeeded in forcing an enquiry. I am humbly thankful to Providence for so shaping events that I am at least spared that crowning disaster, an enquiry predestined to fail, whoso failure would be more crushing by reason of its having been held under the auspices of the people’s Government.”