LAW EXAMINATIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10600, 8 March 1895, Page 3

LAW EXAMINATIONS.

TO' THE EDITOR.

Sib,— Will you kindly grant me a smell space in your journal for the ventilation of a grievance that affects only a email number of persono, but affects them seriously ? I refer to the law students and candidates st the Jaw examinations. First, let me say that the standard of general knowledge has been fixed far too high. Let anyone who doubta this look at the conditions for the Junior Scholarship examinations in, the College Calendar. This examination must bo passed with credit,,so lot the doubter ask himself how he would like to have to start and accomplish this task before he will even be allowed to really begin the really important task—the study of the law. The absurdity of this is evident when it is considered that fully tno-thirds of tho law work of the colony is done by clerks who have passed no examination whatever, and that conveyancing and caortg .ging ar a done by agents appointed without any examination. Another hardship is that candidates are not allowed to count the subjects in which they pass if they make only one failure. There are several subjects, widely differing from each other, yet one man may pass in all but one, end for that oao is compelled to go through them-all again, though he may have done excellently in some, and h\a single failure may be due to some “ fad ” of tho examiner. Unfortunately these matters ora in the hands of the red-tape soinnms of tho University Senate. What is required is an alteration in the Judges’ mica allowing all passes to bo count-id without fuither examination. These and other mattirs will, I hope, be remedied by a Law practitioner.!,(Act Amendment Bill in the coming session. I would like to say much more, but fear to trespass ou your space.—rl am, &c., *LAW STUDENT,