Scene in Court.

Opunake Times, Volume IX, Issue 413, 26 August 1898, Page 4

Scene in Court.

The scene in Court (says Saturday's Wellington Post) during the hearing of the civil action Keith v. T. Macdonald and 1 Co. reflects gravely upon the capacity of the presiding Magistrate. It must be apparent to the whole city that such incompetency in a judicial officer cannot continue to be tolerated either by the legal profes-sion-or the general public. The latitude allowed to counsel, and the refusal to check irrevelant and personal attacks are a disgrace to a British Court of Law. We have been lenient heretofore in commenting on Mr Kenny's proceedings, because we were aware that he was often called upon to perform work beyond his powers. But recently his errors of judgment and his want of control over the Court have been mounting up in a way that cannot be disregarded. Not long ago we bad to protest against the injudicious nature of bis remarks in giving judgment on a certain liquor case, and again to-day, a sense of duty compels us to call attention to the laxity he permitted to a particularly aggressive counsel. There is, we understand, a feeling among many reputable practitioners that they cannot continue to practice in the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court here unless some radical change is made in its conduct. It is exceedingly unpleasant to have to speak thus of an important public officer, but tbe interests of justice and the reputation of the colonial bench demand that such grave abuses should be exposed and ended.