West coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 255, 17 July 1866, Page 2

West coast Times. TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1866.

The only notable omission in his Honor's charge to the Grand Jury yesterday, was that of "all reference to the promise he made on the occasion of his last visit to the district, to bring the inadequacy of the arrangements for the administration of justice prominently before the General Government. Mr Justice Gresson expressed his regret that the tardy progress of the new gaol continued to render the partial use of the old condemned log -huts necessary for debtors as well as for criminals, ?ml ho repeated lus pretest against the " wholly insufficient " nature of " the machinery provided for tho administration of justice for this district, especially as regards matters in bankruptcy." But it will be within his Honor's recollection that in January last he took occasion to speak in much stronger and more comprehensive terms. We quote the subjoined passage as one remarkably pertinent to the observations we are now making. After referring to the opinion that obtained here that the district was " entitled to have a Resident Judge at least, if not a Judge of the Supreme Court," his Honor continued : — " I may state what I know to be a fact, that the subject has for some time past been under the consideration of the General and Provincial Governments, and that it is their desire to make such an ample provision for the wants of the district in this respect as can be made consistently with the resources of the colony, and a due regard to the claims of other districts. Gentlemen, the important question 1 ow the. Supreme Court is to be made most efficient, when viewed, as the Government is bound to consider it, in a spirit of impartiality towards the colony as a whole, is one of considerable difficulty, and cogent arguments iray be urged against as well as for the localization of the Judges in separate districts. I believe that I am warranted in stating that provision will probably be made for holding Sessions of this Court within this district more frequently than twice a year, if the present arrangemeut should be found to be unsatisfactory. I apprehend that the department of the law in which the want of a resident Judge will be felt most deeply will be the bankruptcy business, in which even quarterly Sessions of this Court could not adequately supply the wants of the mercantile community. It is my intention, however, t,o communicate with the Government on this subject on my return t° Christchurch.";

At the close of their labors, the Grand Jury, in their presentment to his Honor, remarked — " The Grand Jury coincide with your Honor in the opinion that it would be most-desirable to have quar* terly sittings of the Supreme Court;" and in replying Mr Justice Gresson observed — "The presentment that you have presented me I will take care shall be forwarded to the proper quarter." He added, with reference to the institution of the Grand Jury generally, " It is the legitimate channel, for abuses if such exist, to be brought forward by tho leading men of the country, and the districts of the colony are equivalent to the counties of England, and I am glad that you have availed yourselves of this opportunity. ... lam fully persuaded that my representations, backed by you, will have some weight." Yesterday, his Honor made no allusion to these pregnant sentences, and all the implied and indeed express promises they covered. He still spoke of the machinery for the administration of the insolvent law as still so inadequate as to lead to infinite mischief. He reminded the Grand Jury , however, that it was more easy to point out defects than to suggest remedies for them. Upon the subject of the representations to be made to the two Governments which — backed by the public opiivon as expressed through the institution of the Grand Jury, " would have some weight" — his Honor maintained an' ominous silence. We cannot doubt that he had judicious reasons for his reticence. But we cannot help saying that it would have been more satisfactory to the public, if Mr Justice Gresson had been placed in a posi-

tion to announce that his strong and earl) 1 representations to the Government, on conveying to them the presentment >f the Grand Jury of January, had cither restilted, or promised to result, in some substantial amendment of the judicial arrangements so long and so justly complained of.