THE MUDDLE OF THE COURTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9559, 4 August 1909, Page 5

THE MUDDLE OF THE COURTS.

(To the Editor). Sir,—Allow me to concur most heartily in the remarks contained in your leading article to-day in reference to the position Masterton is row in with respect to the abolition of the District Court. As the heading to the article ran, it is a "disgiaceful state of affairs." There is no doubt that the legal profession of Masterton has been "sold," and the "sell" was a very bad one. They did apparently what the Attorney-Genera wanted, fought against their own interests in asking for the substitution of the District Court by the Supreme Court, and now they have neither, and little prospect of getting either. There seems to be wheels within wheels in the admins'ration of the Justice department under tlae present regime, and there is such an obvious lack of common sense in abolishing a most convenient and payable Court, on the pretext that its machinery is obsolete a perfectly'_remediable matter that some explanation is

nqaded. Can one be given? Can Dr. Fincllay explain what his object is in, for example, centralising the legal business of Wairarapa in Wel-

It means a loss to the local ipgai. profession, and added expense to their clients. The cry for yours pjsfc has been, "Moro iocal government!" We seem to be getting farther away from local government than ever, and it is a mystery to solicitors litre why their interests are subordinated to those of the Wellington profession. Perhaps an investigation of the system woul 1 clear up some ground which it nvght not be quite desirable to traverse. The Attorney-General is probably ignorant-of the intense displeasure the present position of affairs is causing, and it the establishment of a Supreme Court office in Masterton is delayed too long, that gentleman's administration of his Department will be callej seriously into question. In the Dstrict Court, with its quarterly session, the community had a convenience it did not realise until it lost it, afid with a remodelled code it would have answered all purposes ijr many years to come.—l am, etc., SOLICITOR. Masterton, August 3rd.