DISTRICT COURTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5366, 8 June 1878, Page 3

DISTRICT COURTS.

TO THE BDITOU OE THE'NEW, ZBAHAKDTIMES. 1 Sib, —It having at last,been’decided by the; Government to establish’District ‘Courts tit: Wellington, Christchurch, and'Napi?ri'l6t usl thankfully acknowledge the-long delayed- and! much required boon. .-The next: thing is thel appointmenfr.dfi the-Judges to fire Side W’these: Courts, and as the Government have conceded the necessity of District-Cpurts/aud 'admitted their general usefulness' as a weans of 'expedit- i ing justice apdireducing'-thV'p,re'BSttre‘-bh l the) Supremo Court, it is td’ hoped that'.ho onewill bo appointed Judge’unless l he’ shall have proved himself, by successful practice'in hisj profession as a-lawyer^audjthe reSpiedtjhe isj held in by his’brother 1 professionals, to be com-j petent. It has been' rnnlouredjthat,':With onej exception, the appointments areto begiven to gentlemen whose l '- legal"acquirements- and; general knowledge of the world 1 will Pot’fcenderi them acceptable either to the Baror the'gonoral: public. Wo can scarcely believe these rumors,! but it is “ no use locking the stable door after; the horse has been stolen a timely warning; ma y prevent much mischief* and it would bewell if the Chamber of'Commerce and the. members of the-legal profession represented to, the Government that only improperly qualified, man will he acceptable in Wellington at; any rate* and that* ■ in> the dosiro for a trict Court, the efficiency; of the presiding Judge is the chief desideratum. ; ’Oheeße-parmc ’is all' very Well, and may bo carried out With. advautago in some branoliea..o£; tho service ! but let the experiment be J made-inside that J

huge wooden pile by knocking off : some of the useless hangers-on,' ’ who, )if they spend' half their tinle away.. from , their .offices, are not missed, and no questions asked ; ,bixt tp, carry the ; ‘ penny-wiae-aud-pouud-fooliah _ policy into our judicial tribunals and appointments! is rfalstf economy: of the worst; description,': and the, most . mischievous and .unstatesmanlike policy ever adopted. It was never intended onr Courts of Law, either in England of the, colonies, should-be turned into political almshouses to receive the eifeto and '-worn-out officers of Government. Of all the branches of the public service, the; administration of the .-law isthe most important. l Judges who have to deal with the liberties and properties of her Majesty’s subjects ought to bo selected without regard to economy, if it be decided the necessity exists for the Courts in are to preside. * If economy and not efficiency is the onolithing aimed at in• these appointments, why ] then “ better suffer the - ills we have than fly to others that we know not* of."-r-I am, &c., .. 1 ' SCRUTATOR. Wellington, June 6.;