UN INTERVENTIONS
Sir,-My friend Mr J. Malton Murray asks (in your issue, March 29) what I mean by "abstract justice." I am not surprised. In newspaper correspondence little space is available for definition of terms. Mr Murray will know the distinction between "law" and "equity." In English law, when there is conflict, the rules of equity prevail over "common law." Now "equity" gives something of the idea which I tried to express, by "abstract justice." I did not use it because, as a term, it is technical and specialised. May I supply the best example I can think of in this context? The UN may have legal and historical and practical reasons (I do not know what they are) for allowing Egypt to commit belligerent acts against Israel without "sanctions," and then applying sanctions against Israel. As I see it "abstract justice" cannot be one of those reasons. The same offence calls for an equality of treatment. The rich and the poor, the big and the little, the Jew and the Gentile stand naked and equal at the bar of equity, of natural or abstract justice-or whatever we like to call her. I do not think the UN can get away with less. We must come to "equity" with clean hands. F. A. de la MARE (Eastbourne).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570412.2.21.2
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 922, 12 April 1957, Page 11
Word count
Tapeke kupu
217UN INTERVENTIONS New Zealand Listener, Volume 36, Issue 922, 12 April 1957, Page 11
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in