FIFTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15951, 23 June 1915, Page 12

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

m f COMPENSATION COURT. '■{ ADMINISTRATION CRITICISED. (From the HERALD of June 23. 1865.) The Gazette has recently informed us that several fresh blocks of land have been confiscated. There will then be again the necessity for the action of the Compensation Court. It appears, therefore, an opportune time to say a few words as to the threatened removal of that Court from Auckland to some remote country district where newspaper reporters cannot attend. The punishment of an obnoxious paper is the end arrived at by the resolution of the Judge to hold hie Court where reporters cannot attend. The end is that the Court might as well sit with closed doors, unless arrangement* are made to .semi reporters to the Court wherever it may be held. Should this be done, the Judge will not have gained his end of preventing the proceedings of his Court being made public, unless he determines to forbid the presence of reporters in this rural retreat. Looking upon this Compensation Court as a public institution, designed to secure justice to individual and to the Suite, WO rim not but be astonished at any desire manifested to keep its proceedings secret from the public. The thing looks bad, to say the least of it. and it is a great blunder in the administration of the law to fancy themselves exalted above th* reach of public opinion and public criticism. There is no greater safeguard to the public than the openness of the various Courts of justiea and the complete publicity of their proceedings. It is only in corrupt times, and by extraordinary Judges, that attempts have been made to keep the Courts closed, and to prevent the full publication of all that takes place within them.