TEE RETIREMENT OF THREE NATIVE LAND COURT JUDGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7840, 8 January 1887, Page 5

TEE RETIREMENT OF THREE NATIVE LAND COURT JUDGES.

Perhaps retirement is scarcely the word to use in the circumstances of this case, as the Government have intimated to Judge Brookfield, Judge O'Brien, and Judge Williams that after a certain time they will be considered to have vacated the positions they have occupied as Judges of the Native Lands Court. Some two years ago it was under* stood that Judges" O'Brien and Williams were about to retire, hut as at that time there was. a pressure of work they were asked to remain on. The dismissal or reduction of Judge Brookfield is, however, a surprise to himself and to everyone. Probably the object of the Government in the coarse they have taken i« simply to reduce the expenditure in the Department, and if these three Judges can be done without there is not a word to be said. In some important respeots, how* ever, the retirement of Judges O'Brien and Brookfield will weaken the Bench of the Native Lands Court, as when they go there will be no lawyer on it except the Chief Judge. In certain districts, such as Gisborne, it la almost indispensable that a lawyer should occupy the Bench. All the three retiring Judges have had many yeara of service.

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs : The two judges who retire on pensiono are Judge Williams and Judge O'Brien. Judge Brookfield will retire upon a compensation allowance, Mr. Wilkinson, the native agent in the Waikato, will retire upon a compensation allowance. Mr. Viokars, a clerk in the Native Department, will also retire with an allowance.