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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5117, 17 August 1877, Page 2

To only one matter in connection with the breach of privilege decided upon by the House of Representatives-last night , can we refer. That is to the mild assertions of Messrs. Rees, Reynolds, and : Fox with regard to this paper. In reference to these we may say that nothing appears in the New Zealand Times which is not published with a full sense of the responsibilities the law and the privileges of Parliament place upon newspapers. Under these circumstances, we treat all threats and all irresponsible condemnation as “ words, idle Words.”

The legal profession and a large section of the public have been long looking forward to the fulfilment of the promise of law reform so often made, and it really does seem as if something was going to be done at last in this direction. The Hon. the Minister of Justice stated recently that the Government intended to appoint a commission, on which the Judges would be represeuted, to consider the jurisdiction of all existing Courts of Law, and to endeavor to simplify the procedure of the Supreme Court. The codification of the existing Acts and Statutes of the country, if it could be satisfactorily accomplished, is also a work which would be of great benefit to the whole community ; but it is admittedly not a very easy task. Still even more difficult things than this have been overcome ; and we hope at all events to see an attempt made to render more simple and comprehensive the mass of confused and tangled matter which goes to make up the New Zealand. Statutebook. It has been said that the genius of “ hocus poous ” and “ hugger mugger ” presided at the birtii of many of these enactments. Let us hope; that a more benignant influence will ’not bej absent at the inauguration of the proposed reform, and that it may be brought to maturity. As regards matters of detail in the constitution of the Courts, an extended jurisdiction:of the District Courts would probably be conducive to a more speedy and at the same time quite as satisfactory a settlement of a vast number of cases which now come under the more cumbrous process of the Supreme Court, and are of necessity often subjected to a protracted delay, which is sometimes most annoying, expensive, and even disastrous to the suitors. In many cases also Resident Magistrates, we think, might have a more extended jurisdiction in civil cases than they have at present. The matter is one in which almost everyone is in some way interested, and we hope; the Royal Commission which is about to investigate the subject may succeed in their important and by no means easy undertaking. If they do succeed, the thanks of the whole commnnity will be due to them. 1