The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1880

Temuka Leader, Issue 274, 27 July 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1880

I More tlran once, we have been promised law reform First from one quarter, and then from another ; but still the same jumble, the same confusion of ideas prevail, with the same uncertainty of law, however good a cause. A conclave of Judges were promised, who were to r-c'ify -everything and simplify expense, but, like the weeks and months spent by the representatives in Wellington, it all endsas.it began. \ The machinery for putting the laws of the C dony in motion ar ". a most cumbersome, most expensive, mos 4 taut i"

Using piece of handicraft, or rather mindy craft; for it is a fict time Ihe most subtle minds within Unman Insists has been from age to ago, Jnd from the one end of the earth to the other, pwfc in full swing to concoct laws to guide tho human race in their dealings one with another. From the highest judicatory to the meanest petty Court of Justice, sll people are to be guided by the strictest sense of fair dealing ; yet it would be as- easy finding a whito elephant as to find a decision that gives general satisfaction. Take our Resident Magistrates-' Courts for instance What confusion, what jumble up of ideas, what contradictions are stated by one lawyer against another. One says black is white, another says white is black, a third says it is no colour at nil, while all t'e time the poor ntorm tossed R.M., or his more bewildered J.P. coadjutor, nre tossed about from one to the other, not knowing wli.-re to rest his undecided troubled Now. why is nil this ; why should simpleminded honest men be badgered about by a p.ick < f ruthless, ravenous, find unscronpious lawyers, who delight in bamb> uslinsrhoi ester men thantheu.selves We call mr Rasident M igistrates'Courts s nail debt courts, established ostensibly for the purpose of distributing justice betw-en man and man Wny should these simple small e'ebt oour:s be postered with a horde of hungry lawyers, seeking whom lhey may devour For any one to spend an hour or two in our weekly gatherings, he would, if noi edilied, or greatly enlightened, be at any rate amused, and wouid add to his stock of technical knowledge on law points, but only to rind that his newly acquired knowledge only helped to make things—already a deep puzzle—worse confounded The R.M. Courts are now so notorious for wrangling, that more go there to enjoy the fun than to decide a cause Than Mr Guinness, few could be found who strive more to mete out. equal justice to all. His witchful care of the weak o- undefended, is proof of this ; but what is the use, when up starts a lawyer, who is prepared to prove everything the magistrate said is contrary to law and precedent, .nd so the painstaking magistrate is at sea again. Now, why all this wrangling all this twisting, and all this equivocation to prove a simple debt owing by one man to another.

Those of our readers who take the troulde to read Court news, must give Mr Guinness credit for citing his best to put down the long robe rule. In the R.M. Court at Ashburton the other day a bumptious lawyer made up his mind to control the Magistrate, and take the law into his own hands. Very properly the presiding Judge ordered his arrest. How could he do otherwise. If solicitors are to be allowed to dictate to Magistrates, there would be no use in holding these Courts of Justice at all; In the Mother Country these small debt accounts are lett in the liancl* of clients and the JJhands df the justices—gentlemen who studynot liw but justii c. If a cause is introduced, t'.e litigants are allowed to argue it out find the presiding Judge gives his verdict according to seuse and equity, and so the matter is settled without expense ; but in New Z -aland the R.M Court is a fruitfu 1 place for young aspirants, who feather their nest very quickly from wild gooses: Why cannot our J.P.'s decide these small matters without having half-a-dozen of lawyers with their ringer in the pie? Surely our R.M. is quite competent to settle these matters. If men will have law let them go to the District, or Supreme Court and pay for it. Uut simple minded working men who have a grievance, should be at liberty to proceed without being loaded with expenses, and worse still having their minds pohoned by spurious law. It appears the decided stand tnat Mr Guinness made at Ashbur*fon litis been brought before the notice of the Government. It is to lie hoped it will uphold the office of the Magistrate and send the solicitor to learn better manners