Advice from Judge

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 14

Advice from Judge

Sir, — Some judges seem determined to get publicity for their decisions in Court by making quite unnecessary personal observations. Comments by a Judge in a recent assault case in Palmerston North generated a public outcry; hopefully Judge J. K. Patterson’s remarks to a Maori accused of using obscene language in a public place (“The , Press,” August 6) will arouse a similar critical response. When convicting Teata Ata. Judge Patterson felt compelled, to advise the accused to “swear in Maori and no-one will know the difference.” This is hardly . a positive contribution to the current debate over Maori language instruction; it implies that obscenities in Maori are quite acceptable in a public place, while those in English constitute a criminal offence. I wonder how many -Maori police men and women will react to Judge Patterson’s suggestion to Ata (and, by implication anyone else) that next time

they feel -compelled to abuse the police they do so in Maori. — Yours, etc., RICHARD BEDFORD. August 6, 1980.

Sir, — On reading “The Press,” of August 6, I was shocked to see the article where Judge Patterson told a Maori who appeared in court on an obscene language charge that he should “swear in Maori so no-one will know the difference” after asking him what race he was. I find this as upsetting as Judge Watts’s comments on the beaten de facto wife a week or so ago. Just what is being judged in the courts these days? It appears to me there is too much personal moral judgment being passed — unrelated to the crime of the offender, and verging on the racist and sexist.—Yours, etc.,

M. VANDENBERG. August 7, 1980.