THE PREMIER AND THE JUDGESHIP.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 35, 9 August 1895, Page 2

THE PREMIER AND THE JUDGESHIP.

« We sincerely trust that no time will be lost in appointing a successor to Mr. Justice Riohmond on the Supreme Court Bench. The business of the Court; in this district is far beyond the power of one Judge to cope with, and unless an immediate appointment of a second Judge is made it will accumulate most injuriously to the interests of litigants and of the public. There can bo no good reason for any delay in making the appoint, ment, nor any doubt as to who should be appointed. We 'are glad to believe that we are entirely in accord with the Premier on both points. His opinions are upon reaord. When the Atkinson Government most unjustifiably delayed the appointment of a successor to the late Mr. Justico Johnston, although there was no blook in the business of the Court, as there was 'an Acting-Judge on the Bench, Mr. Seddon intercepted Supply in the House to move — " That it is inadvisable that the Government should longer delay too appointmont of a Judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late Judge Johnston." In moving t'nis amendment, Mr. Seddon emphatically declared his opinion that "Judge Ward should undoubtedly get the position." The opinion is as just and applicable now as then. District Jndge Ward has on three separate ocoasions been appointed an Acting-Judge of tho Supreme Uourt, and discharged the duties in a manner satisfactory to tho public and creditable to himself. The Bench has never been stronger than when ho Rat upon it. It spooial.y needs strengthening now, and is likely oro long to requtro fnrthor strength. There is no professional man in the colony whose appointment would do strengthen it as Judge Ward's. On the occasion in question (2Sth Juno-, 1888), Mr. Seddon deprecated the pros 3 urging the olaima of any particular person to a judicial appointment, and nnder ordinary circumatanoes he would be right in condemning auch a course as improper, but he certainly cannot blame us for expressing our pleasure that the time has now arrived when, as Premier, he is iv a petition to give effeot to the opinions ho expressed in Opposition, and to do justice to an eminent lawyer whoso claims to a sent on the Supreme Court Bench are of each an altogether cxaoptional character no Judge Ward's, and who has been most unfairly treated in the matter by other Governments. We hope to be able to congratulate the Premier both on his promptitndo in filling the vacanoy and on his selection of a new Judge. Qua of the most experienced Judges on tto English Benoh recently Btatod that fully 70 per cent, of the criminal chirgos preferred by women against men ttero false and unfounded. The number o£ such charges has enormously increased in England since the Criminal ]aw Amendment Act, raising the age of consent, was passed. The Premier, instead of railing at tho Legislative Council for very properly refusing: to iaoreaae the opportunities and facilities for unscrupulous young women to prefer blackmailing aoousations in this colony, would better serve the cause of public morality if be would deviso moans for enforcing the law as it stands. Praotioaltor, the law as to tho age of oonsent is now a dead letter, and, to the shame of the authorities be it said, the stroets of the large cities aro overrun by scores of juvenile prostitutes, whose ages range from 10 to 15. We are not aware of any facts pointing to tho necessity for raising the ago of consent in New Zealand, but it is a public soaudal that tho law is apparently utterly powerless and ineffective in preventing mere children living immoral lives. ; On the fourth page we publish our Parliamentary reports, particulars of the Horticultural Society's annual meeting, an Australian summary, and sporting news. The estimated population of the colony on the 30th of June last was 689,826, exclusive of Maoris, who, according to the last Census, numbered 41.903. Tho arrivals in the oolony during the June quarter were 4439, and tho departures 6763. Tho exoess of births over deaths, however, brought a net increase of population of 351. Terms and conditions of lease of village homestoad allotments in various parts of the Wellington Land District are gazetted. Mr. R. C. Sim 4 of tho Jnstioo Department, has been appointed Registrar of the Native Land Validation Court at Gisborne. Mr. Sim is a well-known and popular athlete, and his promotion will be widely appreciated. A donation of .£lO has been made to the Unemployed Belief Fund by HU Excellency the Governor. The Bishop of Wellington is a man nobly superior to sectarian bigotry. An instance of his broad-minded Christianity has been brought under our notice which is worth recording. A lady who was a member of the Church of England but married to a Presbyterian, recently diod in this oity. The relativos doairod that eli3 should ba interred in the Church of England Cemetery according to tho ritual of that Churoh, but that the service should bo read by a Presbyterian olergyman who was a porsonal friond. The Presbyterian olergyman said he could not officiate without tho permission of tho Bishop of Wellington. The faots wsro represented to Dr. Wallis, who, withont hesitation, said that if his oonsent was necessary ha would at once give it, and ho did so in writing. Such an action is in most pleasing oontrast to the wretohed burial scandals so often recorded in the Home papers as the result of clerical intolerance. Wellington has reason to be proud of its Bishop, who is rapidly gaining the respect and affection of all classes of the community. Is the Strangers' Gallery of the House a public place P Thia was the question that was put to Mr. Martin, S.M., this morning on the appearance of an old man named Cornelius Snllivan, oharged with having been drunk and disorderly in the House last night. It appeared that as the man was under the influence of liquor, Gunner Panling, acting under orders from the Speaker, turned him out and expelled him from the grounds, when a souffle took place at the gate, and Sullivan tore Gunner Pauling's uniform. His Worship ordered the accused to pay the coßt of the uniform (££ 6s), in default seven days' imprisonment, but said he oould not deal with him on the charge of drunkenness, as tho Gallory was not a pnblio place, and the proper person to punish him was the Speaker of the House. It will be remembered that complaints were made as to bad butohering of some of the Gothio's chilled beef. The Manager of the Gear Company has now received a letter from Mr. Borthwiok, the representative of the syndioate making the experiment, which shows that the meat shipped by the company waß not iv any way open to complaint. Mr. Borthwiok says: — "Your beef was well dressed and mostly young cattle, but part of them short of lean in the loins. Chilled beef, to compete with the American, has to ba very good quality, and this was all bought by those who use American, not frozen, fit has been very suooeasful, and we are well pleased with the experiment. Had the beef all been good it would have made » much better price. However, we are satisfied with yours." Messrs. Cable * Co. are building a large Lancashire boiler 28ft long by Vft diameter for the boiling-down works of the Wellington Meat Export Company at Ngahauranga. Owing to the inoreased number of sheep, dealt with last year, the two large boilers in nee were found to be insufficient for the' I oompany'a requirements. „, : There was an excellent attendance at Bt.< Peter's Churoh last evening, every seat being, filled. The programme arranged "by Mr., Trimnell, the ohnroh organist, was styled' " An Evening with Fronoh and Italian Com-, posers," and among the good things were* Buch delightful "organ items as Orison's " Concort Fantasia T> and " Andante in F Major," * Lemmens' realistio "Storm Fantasia," and the "Nuptial March" of Guilmant. Mr. Trimnell also played the' fine Offertory in G Major by Batiste, a lively; Toooata-by Dubois, and the very pretty, Andantino in D flat by Balom6. These items were interspersed with vooal selections, Mis. Biohards singing Tours' " Jean, Lover of My Sonl," Mr. John Prouse Gounod's "Angel Hosts Descending "And " The Palms," ,by, F»ure,, both excellent items j while MrE.F.'PollooksangGounod'rf ''Peace of God," and the choir rendered the anthem, "Blessed are They that Dwell" (Tours). The reoitel was altogether very enjoyable. The next one will comprise selections from the works of German and Italian composer!. • « , . Charles Christopher Wilson, a married man, 26 years of age, was found dead yes, terday morning atKakanui, near BketaJhuna. Death is supposed, to have resulted, from inflammation of t&e, bpwels,, ' n

" Anglo - Australian " in the European Mail oredits the Gothio'a oargo of chilled beef to Queensland, and remarks, " Should all tarn out wall the importance to Qneensland will cortainly bo extremely great." This is rather hard upon Now Zealand from a writer supposed to know something about colonial affairs. An informal meeting of delegates to the County Councils' Conference will be held to-morrow at the Hntfc Conncil Offioe. The Committee ot the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals met yesterday, Mr. J. G. W. Aitlcen in the oha,ir> The Inspeotor reported that he had enquired into eight oases of alleged cruelty. It was decided to oak Dr. Newman, M.H.8., to fill the Beat on the committee vaeatdd by Mr. W. J. Foster. The following subscriptions wera acknowledged : —Per Mra. Lingard — Mrs. J. Banniator, lss ; Mra. W. Lingard, Ml Is; Mr. J. P. Firth, ss ; Mr. Charles Hulke, 5a ; Misses Kathleen and Marguerite Smith, 23 (id each; A Friond, 2s 6d. Per Mrs. Tarn— Mount Cook Girls' School Band of Morey, 5s Gd. Per the Hon. Secretary— Mr. James Brown, 2s 6d. Per the Inspector —Crease & Co., 5b ; Mrs. Page, 2s Gd | Mr. G. Crichton, 2s 6d. The Pacific Lodge of Druids held its fortnightly meeting last evening at Richards' rooms, Cuba-street, Bro. Qaarrie, A.D., in the chair. Bro. Snaddon, P.P. P., and Bro. Mackay, P G.P., presented a report on the recent District Grand Lodge pession at Wangantii. The same offioers installed Bro. W. Jonniiiga,D.G.V.P.,asDistriot President of No. 6 Uiatriot ; Bro. Hubble, as D.P. of No. 7 Dist. ; and Bro. J. Whale, as D.P. of No. 2 Dist. The Seorotary of the Social Committee reported that there had been v large demand for tiokets for the " social " to bo held on the 28th inst. A sum of £5 was voted to assisting joining members in their initiation fees. j At the weekly meeting of the Trades! Council last night Mr. A. Ward (President) occupied the chair. It waa decided that a letter of condolence be seilt to the widow of the late Mr. Justice Biohmond. A resolution was passed that Government be aaked to grant the Monnt Cook Gaol site for the purposes of a University College. A letter wb read from the Dunodin City Counoil stating that it would consider the recommendations made to it by the Trades Counoil in reforenoo to the minimum wage question. The Woßloyan Literary and Debating Society held its weekly meeting in the Tara-naki-street classroom last evening, the Rev. W. Baumber in the chair. A debate on toe questiou " Are the Labour Laws of the New Zealand Government Conducive to the Good of the Community?" took place, Mr. D. Gate leading in tile affirmative und Mr. B. Benuor in the negative. The disoussion which followed was lively and well maintained, and at the close a vote was taken, resulting in a majority for the affirmative. Next Thnrsday evening a lantern entertainment entitled " A Trip to New South Wales " will be given. The institution of a Rebekah Lodge in connection with the Independent Order of Oddfellows of New Zealand by the Grand Master, Bro. F. Wills, took plaoo last night in the Masoaio Hall, and proved a great success. There was a largo gathering of ladies, who were duly initiated and enrolled at members of tbo Victoria Bebekah Lodge, No. 2. The following offioors were oleoted for the first terra-.— N.G., Bro. H. J. Williams, P.G. Siroj V.G., Sister (Mrs. P.) Wills; Secretary, Bro. P. F. Gardener, P.G.; Treasurer, Bro. J. S. Butter, P.G. Tho installation of officers was conducted by Bro. C. W. Benbow, D.D.G.M , assisted hy Bros. G. Criohton, H. Chappell, P. J. Evans, and C. Hulke, and tho Grand Master. The Noblo Grand appointed the following officers : — Warden, Sister Erith ; Conductor, Sister Gentles ; Supporters to N.G k Sisters Criohton and Cameron; 1.G., Sister Poingdestro; 0.G., Bro. Bittersby. The V.G. (Sinter Wills) appointed Sisters Sample and left as her supporters. Bro. Williams, in (he course of a very instructive speech, urged all present to do their best to make tho new lodge a brilliant success. During the evening refreshments were banded round. A congratulatory telegram was received from Linda Lodge, No. 1, Dunodin. "The Land of the Moa" was repeated last evening. A party from Government | House will be present to-night. To morrow there will be a matinoe, so as to enable the children who could not attend lost Saturday to witness the drama. The inmates of the Old Men's Home and Other obaritable institutions are invited to be present. " The Land of the Moa" will be played for the last Ume to-morrow evoning. All interested in oity progress and improvement and in the cause of higher eduoation are urged to attend the publio meeting to be held at the Princess Theatre to-night 1 in support of tho proposal that, tho Mount Cook Gaol Kosorve be utilised for University purpose*. A. sacred cantata, "The Christian Pilgrim," was rendered by the Kent-terrace Presbyterian Churoh choir last evening with assistance from a few friends. The principal parts were taken by Mrs. Bedford, Misses Hamaay, Lambert, Williamson, and K. Hutohings, and Messrs. Hollow, 81.B 1 . Cooper, and Thomson. Mr. T, Cooper was conduotor, Mies Edith Ijowden pianist, and Mr. P. Bennett organist. At on interval Mr. Hollow sang "The Holt City." Messrs. Scoullar & Chiahdlm lent a piano. Tno Otago Daily Times says :— The rejection of the Defamation Bill by the House of Bepresentatives is a thoroughly discreditable pieco of work. Once more let ns remind our readers that on 9th June, 1894, the Premier, by his seorotary, informed the New Zealand Institute of Journalists that the Government had " deoided to re-introduoe the Libel Bill at she next session of Parliament in the House of Bepresentatives." The Libel Limitation Bill was the thing that the Government really introduced. And now we find the names of all the Ministers in the majority against the Defamation Bill. A more wanton and oynioal breach of faith was never oommittod by Ministers of the Crown in any oountry, and we cannot comprehend how Mr. Beeves in particular could bring himself to vote, or rather to pair, against the Bill. Yet the Premier and his colleagues complain bitterly at any imputation of untrustworthiness — they who have broken their word on this matter with an almost splendid mendacionsuesa. It is the boast of our Liberal Government that New Zealand is taking the lead in progressive legislation - a boast often absurd enough,^ and how utterly ridiculous now, when Ministers encourage the Houee of Representatives to roeiafc a reasonable Attempt to assimilate the law of iibel in this colony to that in force in England. . . . Mr. Ward appears to have displayed ignorance as well as animus, aotnally condemning clauses whioh merely recapitulate the existing law. When the Treasurer was improperly attacked by a Wellington newspaper, now defunct, were not the reputable newspaperß of the colony — Min'sterial and Opposition alike— ready to protest and defend his integrity? But Mr. Ward has apparently forgotten this. . . . The vote was a Tory triumph all of the olden stylo. The Star of Wellington Lodge, 1.0. G.T., met last evening. One candidate was initiated. It was stated that the District Lodge would meet next week. A pnblio meeting of those interested 'in the proposed Wellington Provinoial Indnstrial Association is to be held at the Chambor of Commerce on Monday evening. A speoial advertisement calls attention to the exceedingly low prioo at which all articles of gentlemen's clothing and mercery lire being gold at tho Te Aro House great winter s&le. Stock-taking at C. Smith's, the cash draper, Cuba street, takes place in teu days. With this issue our readora will Teceivo an inset giving prices ot the principal linos which must be cleared out before that event. At Pearce's compulsory sale of boots some fresh lots are being offered to the public. A show will bo mado in the windows of too Boot Arcado tonight. Tho pricas of the Wellington Meat Export Company's manures have been reduced to £S 10s per ton. Joh. F>. liindberg, the cheap draper, Cubastreet, luuounces considerable reductions in prices for this and next week only, and invites inspection. A notification from B. Hannah and Co. appears at tho top of our Wanted column as to cheap boots, and the middle profits saved by dealing direct with them at their Cash Boot Market, Cuba-street, and their Boot Palace, liunbtonquay. Tovnsend and Paul will soil to-morrow, horses, &c. tiaery and Co. (Limited) will sell to-morrow, fruit. Jftaucis Bidey and Co. will sell to-morrow, furniture, &c. W. ¥. Shortt holds an attractive sule to-morrow afternoon. An advertisement gives particulars.