A BREEZE IN COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 30, 6 February 1899, Page 4

A BREEZE IN COURT.

LIVELY ALTERCATIOX BETWEEN THE JUDGE AXD AIR W. L. REES.

THE GISBORXE XATIYE TRUST CASE.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

GISBORXE, Saturday.

I Argument in the application before | the Validation Court to remove the ; Hon. J. Carroll and Afcssrs Wi Pere ■and Jackson from the trustee and I receivership of the Native Trust Estate |is still unfinished. The proceedings j have been characterised by a number of lively passages at arms between i counsel,' and an attack on the Bench !in consequence of which Judge ; Batham adjourned the Court at noon j till two p.m., to enable the parties ! to take a calmer view of the case. ! On resuming His Honor said: 'Be- | fore the recess counsel for the receiver and trustees charged the Court with partiality. Such a charge is highly I unbecoming, and a repetition of any j such language is to be strongly deprej cated. I, as judge, feel that the charge 'is utterly unfounded, and counsel rejferred to should withdraw it. This I must leave to Air Rees' sense of what is right. Beyond this I shall take no further notice of the matter, except to say that T am neither bound nor disposed to tolerate a repetition of such conduct. Air Rees: J beg to state that I shall withdraw nothing I have said under any consideration whatever. His Honor: Yon decline to. You know. Air Rees, that I have large powers in this matter, which I will have to put in force. I cannot sit here and be insulted. Y*ou make a charge that I am partial. Air Rees: You can state what you please. I say, moreover, that I shall make a distinct complaint to the Government of Xew Zealand concerning the matters before the Court. You may smile, but I shall certainly lay a complaint to the Government of proceedings of this Court. In the meantime I shall not go one step beyond the matters referred to in the notice of motion, and in the affidavits. I shall make use of all my privileges, and shall deal fully with all matters unless ordered out of Court by Your Honor. His Honor: Afr Rees, I wish you to confine yourself shortly to .your professional position in this matter, and I trust you will do your utmost to endeavour to maintain the decorum-of the Court. As an old member of the Bar you should do your utmost to pre- , serve the dignity of the Court. Arr Rees: I have at all times en^ deavoured to do so and shall continue to do my best in that direction.

Counsel then continued his argu* ment. "-' " — '.