JUSTICE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1449, 2 January 1886, Page 3

JUSTICE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

The ■ mi-v''(.ration of British justice in a polygenic colony was put to rather a gevere teat list month at Kimberley, South Africa. At a criminal trial there were two prisoners, the one speaking only Portuguese, the other speaking only Baauto, charged under the Illicit Diamond Buying Act with trading in diamonds without a license. There were two witnesses, one of whom spoke only Zulu, and the other Metapele. There were two interpreters, one'of whom could speak English, Basnto, Zulu and Metapele, and the oJher English and Portuguese; and there was. finally the judge, who impartially spoke English. The fourtongued interpreter proceeded to translate questions! of the Crown Prosecutor from English to Zulu and Metapele, and then returned their apswern in Basuto to one prisoner, and in English to the Court. The «eeond interpreter then took up the parable, and put everything' into Portuguese for the benefit of the Portuguese prisoner. The trial dragged its slow length along, when suddenly it whs discovered that the Portuguese prisoner did not fully understand the interpreter who spoke Portuguese, as he only knew coast Portuguese. Babel, however, could not be further imitated, an d in the result both prisoners received ft sentence of seven years' penal servitude.