AN APPEAL FOR JUSTICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13497, 25 May 1907, Page 3

AN APPEAL FOR JUSTICE.

Sir,—ln your issue of the 17th inst. appears an account of a new trial being granted to a plaintiff, also leave of appeal against a new trial by the defendant. My reason for drawing attention to this is that only recently has a Royal Commission been investigating the Meikle case, and, in reply to the question whether in the opinion of the Commission legislation was necessary for dealing with persons wrongfully convicted said if it was thought desirable to adops the course suggested .legislation would bo necessary, and such legislation should bo general .and by no means limited .to the Meiklo case.' This brings me to the point i wish _ to. draw attention to ro getting a new trial. A civil ease was heard before one of our judges in which a certain deed of lease was 111 question, also an agreement, Ihe Jease- was- never disputed, : beyond a; date being challenged. The agreement was declared upon oath to be a forgery. His Honor compared the signatures, and was satisfied they were genuine. Judgment was "l vcn lor plaintiff,- and the judgment was obeyed. About two months after the fact was revealed that the said deed of lease was also a bogus document, but it was too late to appeal, so every known moans were taken to bring this fact under notice, with the result that the only remedy left open was to petition Parliament for a re-hearine. I his was done, with the result that Government had 110 power to interfere after a judge had given his decision, which was final, so _ Parliament reoomniended that a Commission be appointed to investigate the whole matter; but effect was not given, and at the present the case stands at that. Surely there should be some legislation to deal with matters of this kind. Kvon a worthy judi?o is not infallible, and is liable to be deceived, and if any victim is in a position to absolutely prove, -beyond doubt, the honorable judge has been misled and deceived, he should .be given an opportunity to do so. The judge holds the scales of justice, and the liberties of people who com© before him depend upon his judgments; therefore, it is the duty of any honest man, if ho is positive a judge has been purposely deceived, to speak'out plain arid fearlessly, and then it is the duty of the proper authorities to'have a thorough public examination, and do their best to protect tho honorable judges or magistrates of our courts. ' " JrsTici;.