WIGS AND GOWNS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 85, 8 September 1874, Page 3

WIGS AND GOWNS.

The Otago Guardian of a recent date has the following account of an occurence in the R. M. Court, Dunedin:— At the conclusion of the business in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Mr. Smith, addressing the Magistrate, said:— There is a rumour that your Honor —your Worship—is going to appear in judicial costume at the sitting of the District Court on Monday next, and that the members of the Bar are expected to appear in the same costume. Is that so? His Worship—That is the rule elsewhere. Mr. Smith—We are happy to pay every mark of respect to your Worship, but there is no room here for Counsel, and we would have to transfer our wigs and gowns from the Supreme Court to this Court. His Worship—l will take it as no mark of disrespect if Counsel do not appear in costume. I will attach no importance to it. While I consider it a personal duty that I should myself wear a wig and gown, I will assume that Counsel are fully clothed. Mr Stout said that it was a pity that the District Court and Supreme Court were not close together, as considerable inconvenience would result in regard to the library. His Worship—lt would be a great comfort and convenience if the library were attached to both Courts. £IO,OOO were voted last year for a new Court house, and I tried to press the matter on as far as I could. If a new Court-house were erected, such building might include the Resident Magistrate’s Court, District Court, and Supreme Court. This would be a great convenience to counsel having cases in the different Courts on the same day. Mr Smith—The great difficulty is about the site His Worship—l do not know that there is any great difficulty in regard to that. It would not be expedient for the site to be in the centre of the town. High street, Dowling street. [Mr Smith—Or the Octagon.] —yes, or the Octagon, would be very good localities. Mr Smith—The money that the present site of the Supreme Court-house would realise, if it were sold, would far more than pay for a new site. His Honor—There is a probability of the Government moving in fhe direction of a penal establishment. The present gaol, which is not well constructed, will then likely be removed. Mr Smith—lt is a miserable affair. His Worship—These are reforms we must try to help forward as far as we can. There is a great drawback in regard to this Court, as we have no room for witnesses. If counsel ask witnesses to retire they have to be sent out into the open air. This is not right ; there should be a room set apart for them.