THE CHIEF JUSTICE ON MASTERTON

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3191, 15 September 1917, Page 8

THE CHIEF JUSTICE ON MASTERTON

Sir,—The Chief Justice never loses an opportunity of giviiig exprassion to his Prohibition leanings. The Chief Justice was when at the Bar one of she best special pleaders we had in the country. He has persuaded hundreds of limes to give a verdict, favourable to his ciieiit, so persuasive and so convincing was the forensic eloquence of Sir Robert When speaking at the criminal sessions at Mastertou he adumbrated as he did at J«apier on the paucity of crime. At papier he told the jury that there had been a remarkable decreise in all forms of serious crime throughout the Dominion, anrt cspecinllv since the war. And to it was natural that there should he Ices criminality at the various sittings of inal Court. This is -characteristic of omer English-speaking portions of tho Empire since the war began. Lvendrunkenness has decreased by i.early three Ihousand convictions per annum during the last year in New Zealnm But it is a remarliable fact that drunkennw* m Hasterton, accoriiu? to.the Unef Justice's figures has increased by nearly < per cent, since the war began; that is compared with the year, preceding tho war Such an increase m <lrunkenn<?» a not manifested itself throughout he whole of the licensed electorates; m fad, as ks been elated. the» has been a de-crease-most markedly last year-in a.l • h {vhii a e e cd,n e generally has declined in New Zealand (luring the past forty years. here has been a marked increase during the past two decades of sexual crimes and crimes of indecency; and these, nave been remarked upon not onl. b> he Chief Justice; but by other Judges of the Supremo Court and Stipendiary Magbtr tc" Several of tho worst forms of crime of this character have been brought to light ami adequately punished in the Miisterton district. ... Tie Chief Justice is also -reported o have said, concerning llasterton s extraonlinarv prosperity: "I am glad, that I tin •β-ain congratulate you on tho pio- -™« of Jlarierton." The progress of a town is Visually measured by .«■£ •£ croaso in Us population for .1 a lo™» prospering and making ' P Mt r P W' to quote Iho phrase of the Chief .Hi, ticc) people will naturally flock to Unit own to Share in iU progress and *"•■ ncritv The census returns for 1916 just how JlMtcrlon compared villi other rnvii' in thn Xo.lh Island of similai :L,an,ithi S iswliatlfound:- iu , rpaM

Population. per 1!ill IMG. nnuiiin. Stag g I Hamilton ■>■>" '"" tbat the great nrosrws ->f ««? , A rt^ w * malo -eater progress in its Imcmihb whll.o majority of the electors in the M 'lie on voted for tbo restorJta of licences ii. W*.-I A «»^. L