MS. HAWKINS, S.M. AND THE PROHIBITIONISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10014, 28 December 1895, Page 5

MS. HAWKINS, S.M. AND THE PROHIBITIONISTS.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

OF JUSTICE.

[BIT TtLEMUPII. — PltllSH ASSOCIATION.]

Christohuroh. Friday. A station from the Chrlstohurch Prohibition League, consisting of the Revs, F. VV. laitt, and A. Mitchell, and Mr. Thompson, waited on the Hon. W. P. Reeves at noon to-day, in reference to tho question of removing Mr, Hawkins, S.M., from tho Clutha district. Mr. Isltt disclaimed any intention to impugn the impartiality of Mr. Hawkins. H-3 said the Prohibitionists wero not concerned about the administration of tho law in the liceus inf' district so much as about its absolute enforcement in tho "no license" districts. They believed that tho Government wished that law should bo enforced, and they took this for granted that, given a magistrate, however able and impartial, who continually expressed his want of sympathy with the enforcement of that law, it undermined til# position of tho Government in enforcing that law more than anything else could possibly do. They did not ask for the punishment of the magistrate, bub that a change should be made so that a magistrate should be there who, whether a prohibitionist or not, would not express his private convictions against the law and 90 rendor its enforcement more difficult,

Mr. Reeves said it was not a question of any technical difficulty in regard to the removal of Mr. Hawkins, but a question of what the Government considered to be public policy, using the words in tho highest sense, in regard to dealing with judgos and magistrates. It would be undesirable to begin a policy of interfering with magistrates for expressing their views from tho Bonch. lb was not at all an unknown thing for a judge or magistrate to express opinions on law, Judges ! and magistrates sometimes need Inn- [ guage which was extremely irritating to the Government of tho day, but tho Government did nob interfero with them. He might Bay that ho had boen asked to remove ft magistrate who had refused to convicb in cases of breaches of tho labour laws, but he had firmly declined to do so. That was tho only position, which, as Minister of Justice lie could take up in regard to pressure brought to bear upon him from outside with referenco to interfering with magistrates. He thought ft magistrate's opinion on the policy of a law was only the opinion of a man and should be takon as that, It might be said that it was the opinion of a man who had considerable opportunities of judging. On the other hand citizens were perfectly justified in saying, as they had said, that his judgment was not so valuable as some outside people thought it. was. It was not for him as Minister of Justice to interfero with a magistrate because of his freedom of speech. Tho deputation had said that the removal from the district was noli to be considered as punishmont, but if he removed Mr. Hawkins under the present circumstances, in response to a series of resolutions expressing strong indignation at Mr. Hawkins' conduct, that removal would be held all over New Zealand to bo a censure and & punishmont. It was best not to interfere with the magistrates in ft Democratic country like this. He did not think there was anything of more importance that the freedom of judges and magistrates from pressure. After a short desultory conversaeion the deputation withdrew.

An English paper remarks thab few persons are aware of tne enormous trade which is carried on in the supply of violets from tho south of France, and particularly from the French Riviera. During the lasb two years the growers have noted with alarm a disease attacking the flowers, which occasions the greatest anxiety. The. flowers are grown in the open fields to the value of many hundred thousand pounds annually, and the disease referred to manifests itself in a drooping of the leaves and a residue of bare roots. The application of a coppor solution ii found an effectual remedy, but tho cost of applying it is a serious item of expense. In the meantime, there is no doubt that the " modest violet" blouom is more highly esteemod than any other flower in season, and endless new varieties are appearing as a rival to tho woodland original. One of these ii? a huge Californian variety with a bloom larger than a silver dollar, which is arousing great interest on the other side of the Atlantic. Its colour is a deep purple, and it is said to have a very strong scenb, The usual ecclesiastical notices will be found in the eighth page. At various city churches special New Year sermons will bo prtmohed, At St. John's, Ponsonby, after the usual service to-morrow evening, a Christman Carol service will be rendered. Curtains in white and cream, new designs Guipure, French lace, and frilled curtains beautiful Roods at wholesale warehouse prices.—D.3.C.-|Advt.] They come as a boon and a blessing to men, The Pickwick, the Owl, and the Waverlsy Pen