The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Tuesday, May 19, 1891. IMPORTANT CASES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 609, 19 May 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Tuesday, May 19, 1891. IMPORTANT CASES.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends then ahn’et at bo thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

Two important matters have lately been engrossing attention in Wellington. One is the appeal in the WhitakerHutchison affair. The'decision in the latter case has naturally caused a stir in certain circles, and if only a smal' portion of all that is said can be taken to contain a fair substratum of truth, the public will soon be enlightened on the way the policy of New Zealand is sometimes inspired. In upholding the appeal the effect is to give Mr Hutchison, the defendant, permission to adduce in evidence the relation of Sir Harry Atkinson and the Hon. E. Mitchelson to the Bank of New Zealand at the date of the alleged libel. The next step of course will be to obtain an order to inspect the accounts of the two ex-Ministers at the date referred to. It would not be right at this stage to comment upon the case. One thing, however, is now manifested with much greater clearness than at the time the point was first raised, that if the former Ministers felt justified in instituting these proceedings they should be prepared to disclose how they actually stood in the matter; if there was nothing to hide they were only factiously raising obstacles by trying to keep secret the only information on which the public could judge. The Court has now upheld the defendant’s right in the matter, turning a deaf ear to all those political partisans who have been so adroitly trying to pull the strings, and now the proceedings will be watched with keen interest. In the Edwards affair the circulation of the voluminous memoranda and affidavits has aroused the flagging interest. The letters produced show that the present Government have all along taken a consistent attitude in regard to their contention that a Supreme Court Judge cannot be appointed without the sanction of Parliament. With a view of determining the validity of the appointment Mr Edwards suggested that a case be stated, and under proper conditions the opinion of the AttorneyGeneral and the Solicitor-General of England be obtained upon the matter. The Government, however, refuse to make any conditions, and write stating that as they have never recognised his status they declined to defend any action that might be brought against him. Then Mr Edwards himself requested the Government to take the present proceedings. The decision in the matter is of great importance tc the colony. If | the present Government be defeated in I the matter, they or any future Government that may enjoy a few fleeting hours of office can appoint any of their political friends to office and just snap their fingers at Parliament and the people. The late Government, while actually in a minority, did not scruple to appoint many supporters to the Legislative Council. If the same thing could be done with regard to the Supreme Court what a country New Zealand would be to live in 1