THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1910. MASTERTON COURTHOUSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10011, 6 April 1910, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 1910. MASTERTON COURTHOUSE.

If additional evidesce were neaded that Masterton is not merely coml pletely out in the cold so far as Government favours are concerned, but that, also, it cannot obtain that measure of justice to which it is entitled, the present Masterton Courthouse is a convincing fact. The building has been condemned in j strong terms by Justices of the Peace, Magistrates, District Court [judges, and it was, of course, so obviously inadequate and so utterly contemptible for the purposes of a Supreme Court sitting ' that the Judge, who presided at the first sit- , ting of the Supreme Court iia Masterton* si.-oke but mildly on the question, anticipating, no doubt, that the Government would take the promptest action in the matter of creating a suitable structure for Supreme Court sittings. But, whatever may he J done in the future there is at rr"S'-it,

no disposition on the part of the Government to act hastily. Nearly two months have elapsed since the Supreme Court sat here, and it is now certain, we should say, that the building which was "made to do" last time will bemused again at the next sitting. Unless proper accommodation is provided it would seem that there is a danger of a disconj tinuance of Supreme Court sittings in this district. A more disgraceful state of affairs could hardly be imagined in connection with such a question, and it is one that clearly emphasises how desirable it would be if the large amount of " patronage" in the hands of the Government could by some means be curtailed, if not entirely taken away. A Board of Public Works has been suggested, and though we do not know that such a departure would achieve the end, that it would be most desirable to see gained, we are, at all events, of the opiuion that if a 1 Board of Public Works existed in this Dominion that Masterton would have had a new Courthouse several years ago. The present position is that plans are being drawn up, and when these have been drawn whenever that may be—the matter of inviting tenders will be considered. k. For how long the consideration will be indulged in, and what the result of the consideration will be, no one apparently, has any knowledge. Th( plans of the Masterton Courthous< will, it seems, lie indefinitely ii - the official pigeon hole, and thos< 1 who have interested themselves ii endeavouring to induce the Govern ment to act in the matter, can re fleet, with whatever equanimity the; Le can call to their aid, that their re k' presentations have been complete!; ignored.