COURT PROCEDURE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 9, 10 July 1931, Page 9

COURT PROCEDURE

, RULES COMMITTEE

X FIRST MEETING HELD

By the Judicature Amendment Act, 1930, it was provided that a Rules Committee should be set up to consist of the Chief Justice and four other judges of the ;■ Supreme Court, the AttorneyGeneral, and three'members of the Bar to be nominated by!. the New Zealand Law Society and approved by the Chief Justice.' The purpose of the committee vyas from timo to time to alter or revoke the rules contained in the Code of Civil Procedure or tho Rules of the Court of Appeal or any other rules of the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal, and also from time to time to make such additional rules touching the practice and procedure,of the .said Courts in-all causes andi matters within tho jurisdiction of such Courts as might be deemed advisable. "'-' "The"-committee so set up held its i first meeting in the Judges ' Library, Supreme Court, Wellington, on. Wednesday, when there were present: The -Hon. the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), in tho chair, the Hon. Mr. Justice MacGregor, the Hon. Mr. Justice Blair, the Attorney-General (the Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey), Messrs. A. Gray, • XC, and W. J. Sim, and Professor H. H. Cornish. The SolicitorGeneral (Mr. A. Fair, K.C.) was also present. 'Apologies for absence were received from the Hon., Mr.'- Justice Eeed and the Hon., Mr. Justice Ostler. Mr. R. P. Ward, .Uader-Secretary,-for Justice, was also in attendance at tho request of the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice gave a short informal address as to rules and other matters requiring revision which it was proposed, should eventually be considered by the committee. ■■; Mr. Ward submitted /amendments to the scales of fees under tho Aged ana Infirm Persons Protection Act, 1912, and the Bankruptcy Act, 1908, with the object of bringing them into line withthe fees under the Code ..of Civil Procedure. These amendments were adopted. Among other mutters that were considered were the executors' commission rules, third party procedure, the rules under the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act, and jury rules in civil cases. It was resolved to invite the co-opora-tion of the various district law societies in the matter of suggestions, regarding j the. various rules of Conrt. At the conclusion of tho business the Attorney-General (the Hon. Sir Thomas Sidey) congratulated tho Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) on the inaugural, tion of the committee, which he felt sure was a step in the right direction and would prove of benefit both to the public and'the profession. Tho Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), in reply, expressed his appreciation of the action of the Attorney-Gen-eral in introducing the Judicature Amendment Act, 1930 (under which the Rules Committee is constituted) and also the New Zealand University/ Amendment iAct, 1930, <-Jid the Law Practitioners', Amendment Act, - 1930, each of which relates to -the matter of j \egal education.