The Daily News MONDAY, APRIL 6, 1903. NO OUTSIDERS WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 85, 6 April 1903, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, APRIL 6, 1903. NO OUTSIDERS WANTED.

Thekb is a paper published in Christchurch which rejoices in tha name oF Truth. Its chitf claim to exist is not, however, its tiuthfulness, as audacity is only excelled by its ignorance, but because cf the virulence of i*s abuse of tha Premier and its administration. Everything the Government doe 5 * is, in the opinion of Truth, wrong, and to suggest anything should be dons by the Government is to ensure its condemnation by Truth. I s ignorance is so deplorable that it often falls in very b idly. An instance of this occurred on Wednesday last, whsn, under the heading "No Outsidets Want?d," it say*:—" Who is Mr O. S.mu-l? The Daily News, published in New Plymouth, has soen a private lett~.fr which says that Mr 0. Samuel, of that bu ter-and cheese metropolis, is to assume the mantle of Elijah—in other words, to step into the place of Mr Justice Conolly. Everybody knows thai Mr Jus'ice (Jonolly is shortly to retire. It must have struck tbe ventrable Judge himself that there is an age when a man outlives his usefulness, and that be has arrived at it, It it. notorious that his decisions frequently excite the mild amusement of the Bar in civil c ses, and sometimes display a ferocity almost worthy of a Jeffreys in criminal c ses. But wfeo is Mr 0. Samuel ? and what has Mr 0. Samuel done to dfset ve the greatness that is suddenly thrust upon him ? Shall a comparatively unknown man be callad to the and honourable position of a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, when the cities are full of able lawyers? But we hope there is ro truth in the rumour. We hope the Government will elevate some worthy and capable metropolitan lawyer to Mr Juii ipe Cono'ly's plac3. There are plenty of them available. We want no outsiders upon the Bench. It is a coveted posi ion which Mr Justice Conolly bold?, and one which should be filled by a leading member of the Bar." Had such a paragraph appeared in one of the smallest of our country journals we should have blushed at its ignorance, but to appear in a journal appearing in that city of light and learning, Christchurch, and in a journal which claims to be chief guide, philosopher and friend of the political party, of which Mr fcamuel has always been such a consistent supporter, is enough to make Mr Samuel say, " Save me from my friends." Passing over Truth's attempt to be witty at His Honor Judge Conolly's expense, and the vulgar abus< of the Uarned judge, we feel bound to enter a strong protest against the principle laid down by Truth that no lawyer outside Wellington, or probably the four larger cities, is to he considered competent to fill the position of judge, This is qnite contrary to the policy of the Government and the filing of the people. In the paat merit, wheutver found, has been held to bn » firi-b claim to consideration. Truth sajs: what has Mr Csinm>l done to deserve greatness ? Shall a comparatively unknown man be called to this high po6i'ion when the cities are full of able lawyers? We hope the Government will elevate some worthy metropolitan lawyer. We want no outsider upon the Bench." Inferentially Truth contends Mr Samuel is unfit for this high position. It is well-krown w. hold no brief for Mr Samusl and have, often differed very widely wi.'hhimbut we have no hesitation in saying that Mr Samuel is as well qualified fo* and as much entitled to the position a> any of the so-called worthy, capable metropolitan lawyers, and as to being an outeidtr we would like to know upon what grounds Truth applies thatieraaik to one who is the leader of th« Taranaki Bir and recognised as ono of the leading lawyers of the colony. A.p parently to seive ones country faithfully and attain a leading pos"'.i>ti in the cooamuuity is a crime; unless one lives in Wellington or

Ohristchurc'j. If Truth was not so ignorant, it would know that Mr Samuel sat in the Ha use from 1884 to 1890, and was recognised as one of the stamchest and ablest members of the Atkinson Party. At the gener.il elsction of 1890, Mr Samuel re.iissed ha greatest pressure to contiDue in (joli ics, because o; the demands of his •steadily inert aaing business, a business v xiany of the so called able metropolitan 'nwyers would h<ve been glad to have. iVIn n Sir Joseph SVard, then Mr W rr*, was being hounded down by P4>e;s of the class of Truth and its Sii'.eli ea, Sir Joseph placed himself in die bands of Mr Simutd, who, it is •.veil known, pulled Sir Joseph out of his difficulties, and enabled him once •giin t) place his greit abilities at the disposal of the people of New Zealand. The emphatic manner in which the people hive r> paatedly voted confidence in the Ministry of which Sir Joseph is such a distingui.-hed member has sufficiently answered lis detractors. Truth's remarks concerning Mr Srmuel are an iosult to him, and tj the people of Taraniki, and, though politically we have opposed Mr Samuel, we say, without fear of contridiction, that be is the equal tf any Metropolitan lawyer in New Zealand, and as capable as any of t.hem to fill the position of Judge with credit to himself, and the high position for which ho. has every necessary qualification.