PRIVY COUNCIL APPEAL

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 2

PRIVY COUNCIL APPEAL

A LINK OF EMPIRE NOT LIKELY TO BE SUPERSEDED [Special to the ‘She.’] CHRISTCHURCH, August 16. The new; that the British Parliament has dociaod to grant to the dominions tho right to abolish the right of appeal to the Privy Council, the final court of appeal for the tho British Dominions, is not likely to cause a stir, as fai as New Zealand is concerned According to Mr A. F. Wright, a well-known solicitor, it is unlikely that any move will be made in New Zealand tc accept this right. “ Personally .1 don’t think it will be availed of by this dominion,” said Mr Wright, ‘ It is a most important link between this dominion and the mother country, and between this dominion and the Empire as a whole. One could only regard such a departure by New Zealand as a very retrograde step, and T don’t think it would find favour, even for one moment, with any section of tho community. I have never .heard anyone in New Zealand xt any time suggesl that the right of appeal tf th > Privy Council should be done away with. The effect of such a step would be to make the dominion supreme in its own court.. The Court of appea woi la be the final court, which I think neither judges, lawyers, nor litigants would wish to see. The Privy Council is a constitutional landmark and s safeguard The abolition of right of appeal to it might have very far-reaching results, and I am sure few, if any, of the people in New Zealand would wish to see it removed. It i; one of the greatest connecting links of Empire, and I don’t think that mattei is likely to eomo up for serious consideration ”