HARSH WORDS FOR A JUDGE.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1920, Page 4

HARSH WORDS FOR A JUDGE.

SYDNEY, December 8. This community is deeply interested in a divergence of view which has occurred between Mr Justice Ewing of Tasmania, and the Tasmanian Government. Mr Justice Ewing is “the second-class judge from the third-class State” who was brought to Sydney by the New South Wales Labour Government to retry the I.WAV. criminals in gaol for setting fire to Sydney buildings. On his decision, all except one of the 12 men were released, after serving about three of the fifteen years’ imprisonment which the New South Wales judge ordered. The Judge’s finding was sharply criticised by the anti-extremists elements in this State.

This Judge was also much talked about because of his behaviour when he was sent as a Royal Commissioner to enquire into Northern Territory affairs last year. He spent money with so lavish a hand that the Prime Minister’s Department withheld supplies Hud he then made a public protest. In answer, the Government let it be known that the Judge had purchased curios for himself in the Northern Territory with public money, and although the charge was referred to in sharp words by many newspapers, his Honour never lefuted it. It is understood that he has since refunded the money.

j Some time ago a police tlrooper i patrolling the coast came upon a fisher- ! man, Captain Burgess, taking crayfish ‘ front forbidden grounds. The fisherman I tried to escape, despite the trooper s I warning, and the trooper fired at him j and, unfortunately, shot him dead. Th e ' trooper was duly tried for man-slaugh--1 ter, and the jury found him guilty, with a strong recommendation to merev. Mr Justice Ewing shocked everyone by imposing a sentence of seven years’ imprisonment. The Cabinet over-ruled this and reduced the sentence to three months. The “Hobart Mercury’-’ remarked: “Wie can only suppose that Mr Justice Ewing tries to strike a fair average, and that seven years for a police trooper balances the release of tho T.WAV. prisoners.”