THE OXFORD NOTE BOOK.

Oxford Observer, Issue V, 2 June 1894, Page 3

THE OXFORD NOTE BOOK.

Accept my warmest congratulations, Mr Editor, on your appointment to the position of Justice of the Peace, which I hope you may long live to hold with honour to your country and to yourself.- '.'.,... .XX. ... . In looking over the list of newly appointed Justice's of ■ Peace, ■'• I notice that most members of Parliament "are among the appointees. This'- appears right ; for if a man can be trusted to make the law he should surely have a share m the administering of it. And it is prpbable that if the members of Parliament had more to do ih this matter, their experience would have the effect of their insisting that ;the laws be simple amd "able to be understood" Why not make our laws more simple .? Members protest that'the laws should be so worded that any fourthstandard boy might understand them ; | and yet the very bills that thej3e„ very j mesb_?sin_b'duce' are^Worded'in such ■arway-that-no laymen,-nor themem- ! ber himself can interpret them, an

the proverbial " coach and four " can drive through them. Surely those introducing a bill know then.' wants, and can state them ! 'Then why do they not do it ? why leave it all to the lawyers who are ever on the look out to bring "grist to their mill" ? Let the individual members take a stand for the simplification of our laws, and the reformation will soon come. * # # # * Now I bid farewell to my readers. For more than a year I have regularly filled the column allowed me, and have given my best. I am thankful fof the measure of appreciation I have received and for tho assurance that my " notes " have been read. Before closing I protest against the prurience of those who are ever on the lookout to discover the identity of the writer. Surely if a " note " is. worth reading it should be judged on its merits and for its contents, without regard for the writer of it ; and if it is not worth reading, the identity of the writer may be ignored. I write this protest m the interest of all anonymous writes who are endeavouring to work for the wellbeing of their fellowmen ; and content to keep themselves m the background. When I have more time at my disposal I may again take up my pen ; but till then farewell. Pennib. We take the opportunity of thanking Pennib for his valuable contributions to this journal and regret that circum- \ stances have compelled him to discontinue the same. Our readers will be! pleased to learn that we have made arrangments to have the space filled by ; another correspondent. En.