A HINDU BARRISTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1921, Page 7

A HINDU BARRISTER.

WANTS TO PRACTISE HERE. LAW SOCIETY OPPOSES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, July 8. The Full Court was engaged this morning hearing an application for admission as barrister and solicitor by Mr. Manila!, a Hindu. Mr. P. J. G’Regan appeared in support of the application, and Air. H. P. Richmond, for the Auckland District Law Society, which opposed the application. Mr. O’Regan, in opening his case for applicant, said the case was the first of its kind which had come before the court in New Zealand. Mr. Manilal was, he said, born in the ieudatory State of Baroda. He was a barrister of the Middle Temple, and entitled to practise in Mauritius. He was also still on the roll Of barristers and solicitors in Fiji.

In reply to a question from the bench Mr. O’Regan said he assumed Mr. Manilal was a British subject, but in any case the Law Practitioners Act did not provide that a barrister or solicitor must be a British subject. The only mark against Mr. ManilaP was, he said, fau order made against him last year

that he must not reside in certain parts of FijiMr. O’Regan contended that if Mr. Manilal was admitted to practise, the effect would be good among the Hindus of other parts of the British Empire. Mr. Richmond, for the Auckland District Law Society, said the objection of the society to Mr. Jlanilal’s admission was not on the ground that he was a Hindu. The objection was on the ground of his personal chan cter. The society, he said, had ground* for doubting whether Mr. Manilal was of the fitness and character essential to enable him to practise. The society had grounds for believing that Mr. Manilal had not been a loyal subject. The Court of Appeal reserved its decision.