WANTED---A SUPREME COURT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3169, 21 April 1909, Page 4

WANTED---A SUPREME COURT.

The decision of the Government to abolish District Courts will have an unfortunate effect so far as Masterton is concerned, and will, it is to be feared, lead to unnecessary expense and inconvenience in the case of Wairarapa residents, who may have to do with litigation other than that taken in the Magistrate's Court. We have no statistics at hand, but we believe we are correct in stating that for several years past the number of cases heard in the District Court has shown a steady increase —a fact that certainly cannot be j twisted into an argument justifying abolition. Without venturing to discuss the Government's reasons for favouring abolition, we would emphasise that such a course of action so far as the Wairarapa is concerned is'distinctly wrong, and would inflict an injustice upon the people, unless the present District Court is superseded by a Supreme Court. For a considerable tme past Masterton has been promised a new Courthouse by the Government, and sums have even been placed on the Estimates for the purpose mentioned, and it seems to us that the time is opportune for the Government to establish a Supreme Court in the Wairarapa. The question 'a eminently one for the members of the legal profession to display interest in, and we hope that the members of the legal profession in this and neighbouring towns will make a strenuous effort to persuade the Government from inflicting an injustice upon the people, which certainly will be the case if the District Court be abolished, without a Supreme Court being established in its stead