JUSTICES' JUSTICE.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 156, 30 December 1898, Page 4

JUSTICES' JUSTICE.

We have no desire to bandy words "With our morning contemporary on the subject of Mr. Edward Collins's wrongful imprisonment ; but it is necessary to say that we used the term " effrontery " in connection with the champion 'of injustice because it was stated in effect- that our protest was directed by outside influences inimical to. Mr. Eyre Kenny. This allegation^ unworthy as untrue, is repeated to-day, and in even more offensive terms, as thus : — "As the result of an interview with Mr. Collins, we find no evidence that he desires ' reparation,' and we cannot resist the conclusion that he is being used as a stalking horse to further the vindictive designs of some other people." For our part, not having interviewed Mr. Collins, we cannot know what he thinks on the subject, nor are we immediately concerned to learn. Our concern, as has been made clear, is for the most part that any man of his class in the community may be thrust into gaol, as he has been, without evidence of any wrong-doing, so long as the Crown refuses to remove hi& name from the gaol records. Mr. Collins may, for aught we know, be indifferent as to whether this be done, but a wrong to society will remain so long as it remains undone. As to another charge, that we have made this case " a handle for attack upon the Stipendiary Magistrate," we answer that we have been for some time past more tolerant of the vagaries of that official than has been consistent with tho public interest. Wo had hoped that he would have profited by an enlarged experience and the consciousness of past mistakes, and so we omitted for the time any comment upon such cases as the recent Sunday trading in liquor affair, arid the imprisonment of a sailor lad for leaving his ship when ordered to do so by the commander. But the case of Mr. Collins could not be passed by — it was too gross — and, quite apart from hia personal desire in the matter,, it must be threshed out In the public interest.