THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10866, 16 January 1901, Page 8

THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

(sm'r.u, to "tiik vhkss.") WELLINGTON*, January 14. Tt is now stated by an authority" in the Government service, who, in view of the Press censorship regulations, shall be nameUss, that Mr Justice Martin's resignation n% Acting-Judge was accepted on December 31st. nnd that lie was thereupon re-appoint-i<i as Judge frvni Janimjy Ist. It is. therefore, a question whether or not Mr Martin is not still a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. If it is decided that he is still a Judge of the Court, he will, in all probability be written to, asking that he Hhould formally resign. Various names are mentioned in connection with the vacant Judgeship. In the legal profession it is very generally recognised that Mr Fred Chamnan, of Dunedin, and Mr H. D. Bell, of Wellington, are the most eligible members of the Bar at present practising in New Zealand. It is considered very doubtful, however, that the Government will so far sink the question of party politics as to appoint either of these. Others mentioned m connection with the .•aeuncv are -.r Theo. Coo)>er. of Auckland; Dr. Findlav and I>r. Fitchett, of Wellington • Mr Stringer, of Christchurch; and Mi .Sim, of Dunedin. Dr. Fitchett has only recently been appointed Solicitor-tiene-rul, and Dr. Findlav would, in all probability, not be tempted with the salary, for it is very will known that he is earning more th:in tlie sulary even of the (Jliief Justice, whose junior partner he whs only a year nan. Clf course the matter is not likely to bs settled one way or the other before Mr Necldon returns. DUNKDIX. January 15. The "Star" refers to the resignation of ex-Just ice Martin as President of t lie Arbitration Court as a very regrettable incident. on account of all the gear again being thrown out. of order by the necessity of a new appointment. It' says : —''We may be allowed to hope that the opportunity will now be taken of establishing a new order of tilings by the appointment of a permanent President of the Court, haviinr the status, rank, and salary of a Judtre of the Supreme Court, mid available to sit as a Supreme Court Ji'dge. on emergency, and as a member of the Appeal Court. " Tt is thought that the ehoicw of the Government-to fill the vacancy will lie between Messrs Ktringer. Tlieo. Cooper, end F. R. Chapman, who might have been Judge ten veurs ago. when he was offered a seat on the Bench by the Atkinson Ministry. Were it a question of merely nddintr to the strength of the Supreme Court Bench, the probtbilities are that Mr Cooper would receive the appointment, since it in understood in lera! circles that he has an undoubted cluim, which Ministers ar>» willing to recognise, but lie is not disposed to undertake the dntif.s appertaining to the Presidentship of the Arbitration Court, which involve a lirge amount of travelling in visiting the various centres. Miuh for the same reason, Mr Stringer, it is believed, will not be disposed to give ui> the emoluments of his present position for the nvdumi.s and worrying responsibility attaching to the Arbitration Court. The appointment of Mr Chapman to the Bench as exclusively President of the Court would., we feel aseured. be most favourably received throughout the country, and be acceptable to the Bar and to tho public, and entirely meet with the approv.il of the workers' organisation and Kmplovcrs' Association, vhr> are more especially interested." ]