AN OUTSPOKEN JUDGE. JUDGE MOLESWORTH STANDS TO HIS GUNS.

Evening Post, Volume XLIX, Issue 114, 15 May 1895, Page 2

AN OUTSPOKEN JUDGE. JUDGE MOLESWORTH STANDS TO HIS GUNS.

I PUSES ASSOCIATION/ (Received May 15, 11 a.m.) Melbourne, This Day. Judge Moles worth, in replying to the Premier in rcferonce to the remarks he made from the Bonoh in connection with J. B. Davies' insolvency, says he spoke in the pnblio interest. It was not for the publio interest that an Insolvency Judge should be in a dependent poßitiOD, and thtt there should be reasonable ground for the putlio to feat that in doing what he bllieved to be h : s duty he might act against his own interest by offending influential memberj of Parliament. In the cities there wero a number of cases where such members with widereaohing social influenoe beo&me insolvent for amounts ranging over X 1,000,000, and the Judgo3 had to decido all cases without the intervention of a jury. This, he urgeß, is a Btrongpieainfavourof making the Incolvenoy Court independent of politioal influence. His Honour further says that a statement on the subject of judioial independence was signed by all the County Court Judges, and presented to tbe Government last Auguat, but up to the present has not been answered. He also alleges that in applying for sick leave he was treated as a malingerer, and that in December last steps were taken by the Solioitor-General to remove him from Melbonrne, but afterwards abandoned. In conclusion, he says it oertainly appears to him there are good grounds for believing the publio, who are the sufferers where members of Parliament are concerned, might not believe that a Jndge in Buoh a position is able to dispense impartial justice without fear, favour, or affection.