SHORTAGE OF JUDGES CAUSES CONCERN IN LEGAL PROFESSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1947, Page 3

SHORTAGE OF JUDGES CAUSES CONCERN IN LEGAL PROFESSION

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 21. “The legal profession as a whole is of the opinion that it is high time that the whole judiciary system should be overhauled and that members should not be overworked or underpaid as they a }' e said the president of the Auckland District Law Society, Mr. L. P. Leai y commenting on current delays m the Court business. Mr. Leary said, his remarks applied as much to the Magistrate’s Court as they did to the Supreme Court. . “The position in Auckland at piesent is that only one Judge instead of two is available for the work of the Supreme Court, and as a result no civil jury cases are to be heard during the current quarterly sessions. About 40 such cases, including many claims for damages for injuries al ’ is_ ing out of motor accidents, or in the course of employment, had been set down for hearing this Quartei, all have now been stood down indefinitely.” ~ Mr Leary said that tne Supreme Court had been constituted by an act of 1913 to comprise the Chief Justice and nine puisne Judges. No change had since been made, although the amount of work had probably doubled. Even so, Judges had been called upon to perform additional duties. At the moment one was presiding over the Gaming Commission, one was a member of the International War Crimes Tribunal in Tokio, and two would shortly be engaged, m hearing the Raglan electoral petition. Two temporary puisne Judges had recently been appointed. “The legal profession as a whoie considers it wrong that the judicial y should be overtaxed,” Mr. Leary added. “Members should not be taken oil for commissions and for trials at a distance like that in Japan. As far as commissions arc concerned theie are plenty of able lawyers who ai e competent to preside.” . Mr. Leary said that the Law Society of New Zealand had affirmed the principle of an independent Court of Appeal with certain provisos. One was that the Court should be peripatetic Another was that, in so iar as the Court was filled by members of the bar, it was felt they should be practising barristers of first-iate standing. .