BUSY YEAR FOR JUDGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 2

BUSY YEAR FOR JUDGES

POSITION REVIEWED BY CHIEF JUSTICE MORE APPOINTMENTS NEEDED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 10. Even with the appointment of a temporary judge, announcement. of which was expected soon, many difficulties would be faced in attempting to maintain a normal judicial circuit throughout New Zealand in the next few months, said the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary) when he addressed counsel in the Supreme Court at Christchurch to-day. It seemed unlikely that a judge would be available for Christchurch in March, he said. “The Registrar has arranged fixtures for here, not only for jury cases but for matters for a judge alone, which would carry on until April. Under present circumstances it seems impossible to provide a judge for March.” His Honour explained the problems facing the justices. “As counsel know, Mr Justice Northcroft is still in Japan, and since November Mr Justice Blair has been engaged on the Onekaka case. He will remain on this case for some time in the consideration of law points in conference with the assessors. “It is of great concern to me to try to arrange the circuits. More than once I have drawn the authorities’ attention to the position and asked for more judges. I understand that the appointment of a temporary judge will be made almost immediately. That will only partly relieve the position. Five judges will be required for the Court of Appeal at the end of the month. Mr Justice Kennedy will have to go back to Dunedin and Invercargill. That leaves two judges and one temporary judge for the rest of New Zealand. Mr Justice Finlay will be expected to go on with the Gaming Commission leaving two judges for Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.” The probability of an electoral commission sitting in March complicated the position further,,His Honor continued. It was likely that two judges would be required for this. “Even with the additiqn of a temporary judge, it seems impossible to me to have a justice available for Christchurch in March. I will remain here until the end of February and do my best to provide another judge for next month; but at present the outlook is not good.”

APPOINTMENT AWAITING APPROVAL

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. The appointment of Mr. James Christie, of Wellington, as temporary judge of the Supreme Court, is expected to be officially announced. Mr. Christie is a former law draftsman, and compiler of statutes. He retired from the public service in 1945. Formal approval of the appointment is awaited from the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, who is at present in Southland.