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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4331, 5 February 1875, Page 2

The Hawke’s Bay newspapers are unanimous in expressing the public appreciation of Judge Weston’s conduct, while presiding in the-District Court at Napier, which has now boon abolished. Mr. Weston . has been transferred to the West Coast, where his duties will certainly be more onerous than they were at Napier ; but this will only serve to show more clearly his perfect fitness to discharge the highest judicial functions. Mr. Weston is, like Mr. Gillies, a member of the New Zealand Bar, and a very old colonist; and it is gratifying to find that the Government need not look beyond the colony for gentlemen of standing at the Bar to fill any vacancy that may occur on the Supremo Court Bench or among the District Court judges. We agree with the Napier Telegraph in thinking that it was a mistake on the part of the Legislature last session not to increase the jurisdiction of the District Courts. Reason and experience both point to this as the easiest solution of the difficulties that surround the whole question of judicial work in this colony. Wore the Supreme Court concentrated at Wellington, and sitting as a permanent Court of Appeal, with District Judges going circuit, justice would not miscarry nearly so frequently as it now does, and the cost to litigants and the country would be enormously reduced. Indeed, the only wonder is that the public submits to the enormous costs which an action in the Supreme Court involves. Wo throw out these hints, however, with the view of eliciting an expression of opinion through the Press of the colony on the question. It is one that is of the very foremost consequence to the country ; and if it has not made so much noise as the proposal to abolish Provincial Government in the North Island has done, it is not, certainly, because it is less worthy of consideration.