THE NEW COURTHOUSE.

Matamata Record, Volume VI, Issue 493, 29 November 1923, Page 2

THE NEW COURTHOUSE.

FOR long it has been a reproach to Matamata that there has been no appropriate home found for the blind lady with the scales, justice. In other words, no Magistrate's Court building exists in the town. The town of course has not been responsible for this but still it has had to bear the Stigma. The Department of Justice, which arranges these things, has at last decided to provide for a building in Matamata and the town is to be £ felicitated on the very satisfactory provision that has been made. The plans show a most ornate building, "constructed of wood certainly, but .still one that should prove adequate for the needs of justice in Matamata "for many years to come. The magistrate ariil the members of the, legal .profession in the town should be the

subjects of special congratulation, for to anyone who has had in the past to do business with the Court at Matamata it must bo patent the forensic disabilities that these gentlemen have been called to labour under, and as far as they are concerned there is still one feature in which the new courthouse, when weighed in the balance, is found wanting. Where is the libiary? There is even no room provided for a library. An American writer has referred to “ the brain-clogging and soul-destroying intricacies of the English law.” Well, that is a matter of opinion, but, nevertheless, if a Matamata lawyer should happen to wish while in Court to delve still deeper into those awful intricacies, well, an opportunity should be given him so to delve. On looking at the plans one notices a recess left in the south-west comer of the building, immediately at the back of the Courtroom. This would be an ideal situation in the building for a library, as it would have direct access from the Bench on one side and from the passage on another. It would furthermore be well away from the public portion of the building and the followers of the blind lady could worship her there in peace and quietness. The question of providing a library, however, is not an insuperable difficulty and no doubt it will be dealt with in due course.