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OVERWORKED JUDGES

COMMENTS BY JUDCE EDWARDS. THE CIKOCIT SITTINGS. At the conclusion* of'the-sitting of the Supreme Court in Masterton on Saturday evening last, Mr Justice Edwards stated that he had been compelled to forego ths, hearing of certain bankruptcy and divorce business, which should have been dealt with in Chambers. He wished it understood that he did this solely because there was insufficient time to geit through the ordinary circuit business. The time allowed for the circuit sitting had been fixed by the Court of Appeal, and had been based upon . previous experience. He was always pleased to come to Masterton, and'he liked''tlie district very, much. ; The last sittings .oyer' which he pre-J ■sided : here lasted- only a day and a half; i; On the present occasion; liowr" ever, it had required—fully a - week to transact t3io r 6r(linary business of the Court. Nobody could estimate the amount of work to be done, and •the Judges, therefore, could not definitely fix the time which would be -required. Had he the time at his dis>posal, he would have been glad to follow the example of the Chief Justice, as he had previously done, and take Chamber business. As it happened, however, it was impossible lor him to do so.

Referring to the comments' in Saturday's "Age," concerning . overworked Judges, His,. Honor said that itlie local paper h;ad reported him ; quite fairly, and lie had nothing to complain of ini the comments made. He did not wish it understood, however. that he had been habitually "•working froiti "sixteen "to eighteen hours 'daily. It bo happened that there was. a big calendar of criminal -cases in Auckland, and a second ■Judge whom ho expected could not be spared. It was absolutely necessary ■for'him to reduce the criminal business at the •short time at his dispersal, and this was responsible for the long hours he had workecl. Then he had to go to Hamilton and work harder tihan usual there-. He had succeeded* lor the first time in. his experience on the Bench, in thoroughly upsetting himself. He mentioned this matter because, although the comments of the local paper Were quite fair, people might be led to think tluit he was habitually working very long hour®. He wished it understood that this was not quite the case.; It was true that the whole of the Judges were working very hard. For the last year they had been a Judge short, owing to the absence of Judge Cooper in Enigland. It was essential that Judges, who had to endure a severe mental and physical strain, should occasionally ■be granted leave of absence. His, Honor hoped that, with the able assistance of Judge. Cooper'' on, _ his return from England, in April, the work of the Courts would be made easier. It was no more pleasant to him than to counsel to have to drive things hard. He was .sorry that he could- not get through the whole of the business at the time at his disposal, but he felt that he had dome all that coulil really be expected at a circuit sitting ol the Court. Ir it was considered that a Judge, at a circuit sitting, should transact all the Chamber business that was set down, then he was afraid it would be necessary to increase the number of Judges. He did not think that the time had yet arrived for this. Mr P. "L. Hollings, speaking on behalf of the Bar, stated that counsel recognised the arduous work that Hi-s Honor had been called upon, to perform, and the great - straiii that was imposed upon liirn. The fact that, lie was sitting until five on Saturday evening spoke for itself. His Honor said a Saturday sitting was quite a circumstance. He had been working very long hours in, Auckland.

Mr Hoi lings said the public did not la-lways appreciate the work of the Judges. It did not realise that their work was continued atf-ter the Court had risen, and.that there was much to be don.o in Chambers. So far as local counsel Avere concerned, they only set down Chamber work for Mas•terton in the hope that it would be got (through if convenient. His Honor said ho was pleased to hear this. It was quite true that the public did not realise the enormous amount of work that was transacted in Chambers in New Zealand. The Count then rose.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19120325.2.17.13

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10591, 25 March 1912, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
735

OVERWORKED JUDGES Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10591, 25 March 1912, Page 5

OVERWORKED JUDGES Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10591, 25 March 1912, Page 5

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