ARBITRATION COURT JUDGES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3651, 13 December 1920, Page 4

ARBITRATION COURT JUDGES.

It seems that there is in Australia as well as in New Zealand, a feeling that the system of appointing a Judge to preside over the Arbitration Court might well he abolished. A protest was voiced at the annual meeting of the Law Institute of Victoria by the retiring president, Mr H. W. C. Simpson, against the appointment of Judges from the Law Counts to be Arbitration Judges, or to adjudicate on economic, political, and sociological matters, says the Melbourne Age. In the whih they had to conduct in these new spheres, M- said, the investigations which they had to the Law Courts were of little use, while the transplated Judges were criticised, their reputations for impartiaality were apt to be soiled, and the whole judiciary as an institution was likely to be tarnished. To {prevent this he suggested that if the services of members ot the legal profession were required to conduct Arbitration Courts, to inquire into a dispute at Port Darwin, to look into the questionable conduct of a politician, or recommend what salary should be palo to a member of Parliament, there were plenty ~of practising members of the law competent and willing to act. He hoped the Judges would refuse to leave their legitimate spheres to accept such work in future. These remarks were applauded.