A WELL-GROUNDED PROTEST.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 421, 20 November 1889, Page 8

A WELL-GROUNDED PROTEST.

Mr Justice Denniston the otbor day, in the comsc of ins charge to the grand jury at Christchurch, referred to the undue h.i'-te with which Acts were brought into force in this Colony. We trust this practical and well-grounded refeience will he taken notice of and acted upon by the Government, The wonder is that the matter has never befoie been fonneilj* noiiced from the Bench. We have lepeatedly heard the late Mr Justice Johnston and Mr Justice Kichmond make passing reference to the inconvenience a'ising fiom the pi notice, but it has nevei been founerly condemned, and Mr Justice Pennjston has done public seivice by jumping into the bieo-cli, There never was such a countiy in the world for law making" as New Zealand. A fat statute book is the ntual o-.iU-i me ot every fusion, and Acts of one Par'iament are repealed or amended by the next, And iinmedi itely an Act receives the sign-manual of the Governor, it becomes law. The Judge*are thus placed in a very false position. They may be adjudicating- on cases under hitheito existing laws, when tho^e veiy laws may have b?en that morning r< pealed or superseded ; and thus their decisions may I c rendered invalid. (By the way Judge Ward also in our healing has often sailed as close to profanity on the subject aa the wearer rf ermine could venture). Time should certainly be given for the Judges to master repeals and new Act-* before they become operative. Our legislation is had enough, but over haste in bringing laws into force is still worse. — Atari borough Express,