LAYMEN AS JUDGES.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1925, Page 4

LAYMEN AS JUDGES.

VY Alt HIT It Vi !<>N UM'IM'S. SVD.NKV. N.ivl9. Tim :: tf-Niinn oi ihr Ariiit rsiti«m ( ‘Kiri. ii»h!< r iliil übw luToiv the Siau* ami I!i»• >ur ll ion i'.’-’ i oi J* •! i: ;. i d • • in ! ( •muni.- -mn amt cbiii ilia i ion coiniiiiUits will n. nm, mi* :l< • ti.-L iv ioumi lor them clm'ivlinv.

! tic r.-.iioim-nt ill (hii uiii'i iH’i'i' | ti; iiiLcil tt it It t!c -t;ti its ol lltii t . ( uni t .Ini!;.'"', lot- ii-r tcntt. u tn;'v Ini -t.it-. -.1 cl I heir cunt iliiti-tl i !•<’- linvioltr is- until t; ; i a rcttclici! t:u- ---! Miiltilnfv tctiriiic n.lttilfXo ('atlt-ui- ' nml -luil-c li'-liit wen- :t|))•<•!!!te<! its ; 11 1 • 1 1111 > 11:1 1 A t nit ratidi Conn .Intlyy- on 1 1 icsc coiulitions. Tht-If lias In-on no ; contiiltiitit tiyjaiitst tot -it t in tin- ext-rcis.-ot iltcii- judicial <iit:if<, nof lev-.- tin-v , ivurltcd tin- reiirino :«<.*.«», lull- it look-; hi. ihtmi-h they tin- s .,ino t„ 1,- ’ t i ttsii.-il nnilci Indiom wheel.

Tl:i* trained judicial mind works perhaps slowly, ami in a way which does lirii always meet with approval < *l loose who liad themselves in the lahyrinihic u■■.e.slios ol the law, hm it remains to he seen, under tin.' new legislation, the basic ideal of which is the principle of conciliation, whether untrained ln,\ men are more competent than judges to weigh evidence and'.reach just dect-

('ui'. uis m something n ‘ j-i: i mii';euro in tii<- iiit.l u.strisi* courts. A stickler lor pure English, he dees not at times hesitate io re prove < hose who show a tendency t defile i hat limpid si ream, and his little dissertations in (hi, respect Ireqnenl Jv per more -pace in the afternoon par.rr-, than the dull treatment of the casi s before him. A c onipe.rativeK voting mail, he will pnibahly not find it diliicult to re-establish the Itterntivi practice ho built up end then ivnoilliceil, lor a seat on the heneh. it he i> to he swept aside.