CONTEMPT OF COURT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 196, 2 November 1871, Page 5

CONTEMPT OF COURT.

(To the Editor.)

Sin, — 1_ notice in this week's issue of your contemporary, the " Bruce Herald," an article on the Table Ilftl Claim, which is, to my mind, conceived and written in a spirit, of the very worst possible taste. I do not refer, to the." reference made to different parties in the article, but to th^ impertinent assumption of the right to dictate to a gentleman about to sit as judge fn the matter what his decision, in the opinion of the " Brin-e Herald," ou^ht" to be. The fact of attempting, however indirectly, to influence a Magistrate before the case has ever come before him, is in the very highest degree]' condemnable. For my part, I m.iy say " that I- have sufficient con-fid'-nce in the known character of the Warden for equitably dispensing justico to feel assured that " he will took upon "the conduct of your contemporary as being nothing more than that compound ' of contemptible flattery and impertinent conceit which, might be expected to emanate from the pen of^a gentleman who' has a suf&Viently large} personal interest in the reef to cause'him to deyem it policy on- his part io seek to propitiafe the powers that be, .Of. the' ohar&eter* of h is suggestion-. I will only .say that- it is juat au'ch a orte as would be lilfaly. to be marie by a -man suffartivj; urpjer, the (Husiofl that he is. thoroughly acquatuted' with tH« law ; though it ia probably' hard for anyone fro tell from.

m[' * 1 which of these two delusions he suffers most, viz.; the itna^inuvjf himself to be competent to lay the Jaw down, ashetriedtodoatthe Wai tahuua Court last Friday ; or to wield the editorial ' pen, and sway the desliui- s of Tokomairirj. phaßespearo s;iys " That one man in bis time plays many- parts," ~ but when a man seeks to influence a jud^e before a case is tried, he plays the part o? thesbriber and corrupter m its most flagrant and despicable shape, and deserves uusparin^ly the indi^naitts^ condemnation of all unprejudiced aud honourable men. — I am, &c, Citizen. Lawrence, Oct. 25.