Untitled

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 54, 23 June 1876, Page 2

Wmr.R most people will feel sorry that Mr. Joiix Cokmack has been committed for {rial «>n the charge laid against liim by the Government, in connection with the recent Waiareika boiler explosion, we feelsure that the public will admit that the. Bench had no other course open to tliem.rTiie evidence was such that their Wor-" ships had no other alternative ; therefore,, in our opinion, they acted wisely in shifting the responsibility from their shoiddurs. and leaving it to a higher Court to decide on the legal and technical ob-; jeetioiis raised by accused's counsel. Of course, it will be argued that it is a very unpleasant thing for Mr. Corslvck to havethis charge hanging over liim, but the Bench had no other alternative; and as 3lr. Udall very properly remarked, '"it is much better that ..Mr. Cokmack, if acquitted, should be acquitted by a jury of his countrymen, than by the Court below." For our part, we have 110 doubt-as to what the verdict of the jury will lie, and we think that iMr. Cormack's best friends will agree that, in committing lijm for trial, the Bench acted most wisely. -It would be absurd for them to decide on the legal objections raised by accused's counsel ; in fact it is not in their province, and it is much better, where a case of such vital importance is concerned, that only those persons well acquainted with law, and who make it their stuclj, should be called upon to g'.ve an opinion in this case. ■ r""