THE JUDICIARY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 643, 22 September 1933, Page 4

THE JUDICIARY

Although the Judicature Amendment Act specifically lays it down that the judicial bench 1 of New Zealand "shall consist of ! the Chief Justice and eight other I judges," the Government has declined to make any appointment to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Mr Justice Adams. It is to be presumed, from the terms of this act, that nine judges are required to deal with the normal work of the Supreme Court and Appeal benches, and it is doubtful whether the Government is pursuing a wise course in deliberately restricting this number. It is essential, before anything else, that the machinery of justice should be properly administered and if an insufficiency of iuderes is to be ner-

mitted, this machinery may be impaired. It is true that the work of the criminal courts has to some extent decreased, but civil litigation has not slackened. Undoubtedly the removal of orie judge from the bench will largely increase the work of the remainder and while this' should not affect the consideration given to litigants, it will in all probability make it more difficult for litigants to obtain sitfings, and consequently increase the j costs which they will have to i carry. It is possible, of course, that the Government, remembering the refusal of the judiciary to accept salary reductions under the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, is endeavouring to make the reduction in another way by saving the country the salary of one judge. It must be remembered, however, that a judge has a most important office to fulfil and one that must be above all suspicion of pecuniary embarrassment. The position is one which calls for the very highest qualifications and if justice is to be properly administered, the country cannot adopt any cheese-paring attitude towards its judiciary. A statement by members of the bench would clarify that position and if it can be shown that the non-appointment of another judge is imposing a hardship, the appointment should most certainly be made.