POLITICAL NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4515, 5 September 1893, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

«• Hogg and the Criminal Code Bill, Once more our bulky friend tlio Criminal Code Bill comes in (says the N, Z, Times) brought forward as U3U«I by the Minister of Justice, and onoe more the House looks askance, as if it thought the possibility of the passing of this measure to he extremely reim.te at this period of the session, The Minister does the work of introduction with fair words and few, as becomes a man introducing an old friend to old friends, Seyernl members speak and the Premier promises the fullest facilities to hon. members for moving with re-, ference to the clauses they dislike or suspect . There are many hear, hears, , Mr 0, Mills gets up apparently to make a long speech, but meeting certain Ministerial eyes which look at him suddenly with not exaotly angelic expression, he contents himself wiih a few laudatory words, Masterton excels himself. The Bill is, according to him, filled with 'eagles' talons.' the Bill is an untamed beast,' tbeßillis 'saturatedwith blood,' Having thus characterised the measure, Mr Hogg'admits with a obeerlulness under the circumstances quite amazing, that be has not examined many of the clauses; that he basmorely (jiaoct-d over the Bill. Bat the admission has no deadening affeot on his denunciatory eloquence, On the contrary, he finds the Bill to be without a partiole of reform, and he denounces tho Bill as a 'hideous travesty of Justice,' Then ho treats the House to a long dissertation on the criminal system in general, and on the prison' system vaguely in particular. The prisons o f this iinbappy country, it,appears crush and destroy everybody win gets into them, and while crushinf and destroying, treat them so wel that many of them come back agait periodically, As for our Court 3 o Law, they are,relics of barbarism, sir, handed down fiom the dark ages. 'Enter tho Supreme Court, anc what do yon behold? A number ol individuals masquerading in wig! and gowns, like so many play actors, It's a perfect burlesque, sir.' _ Mr Hogg knows that he is trampling on which many people think should only be referred to with ro> Spcot, and tbat with bated breath,

i I out that does uot trouble him. ' A '; perfect burlesque,' is what he said; a ', perfect burlesque is what ho meant, ', anil a porfeot burlesque is what ho is I not by any njeanß soiry for. i In the tuidat- of this frenzy of de« '. nuneialion, Masterton oatcbes sight of ' the Court of Appeal. Horernembers 8 that tho Bill makes provision for a ' Court of Criminal Appeal. This is j really very sensible of the Bill. It 'is ( a clause which certainly ought to bo ; passed, It inu>t bo if the House will s only hear him. He will prove every* 1 thing by Biwply narrating the history [ of a caso. Mr Hogg means the Chemis case. He sets to work upon it with a will. He is going to beginning, and go right through to the bitter end, with all the points of law duly developed, But first he roust tuck up his sleeves : and suit on his hands, mit warn. H«

makes an incursion into pathos, sending his voice-down into the deepest shade of gloom ever before reached by any roar; and thus refreshed he begins with the trial. ' The first thing against the unfortunate man, sir, was that he was uo Italian, and, therefore, violent, Then, eir, the next—' But here Sir Robert Stout inter* poses; this is too much, surely it is contrary to the standing orders. M r Speaker thinks it certainly is, Mr Hogg is ' very ouoh obliged to you sir.' But, howevermuoh obliged, ho has not the remotest intention ot obeying. Accordingly he starts off again on his story. But Mr Speaker is even more determined that he Bhall not.disobey." There is a conflict, tho result of which is that the Chemis | oase fades from the scene. Mr Hogg ' does not long remain on bis legs J thereafter, '.■". ■ i