NATIVE LAND COURT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2627, 20 July 1904, Page 10

NATIVE LAND COURT.

MR JACKSON PALMER'S APPOINTMENT.

(From Our Own Corhuspondent ) WELLINGTON. July 13. In the of Representatives to-day Mr T. Taylor asked ilvj Minuter of Justice ii he would agree to a motion for the production of tho correspondence- connected with (.lie appointment ot Mr Jackson Palmer as a judge of tho Native Lxnd Court. The Minister's reply was that this appointment was arranged by telegraph, and as only two telegrams passed between the Minister in charge of the department and Mr Jackson Pp lnner there is virtually no correspondence to be produced. Mr Taylor, .speaking on tho subject, slrongly attacked the appointment, which he said was purely a political appointment, reflecting discredit on everyone, connected with it. If tho colony had a Civil Service Board — a proposal which the Premier would not allow the Hoiua to discuss — it would have teen impossible for such an appointment to have been made, or if any commissioners made it they would have been scut out of office within a week by an outraged public opinion. The appo ; ntment could not be defended on any ground whatever. Ho predicted last session that Mr Palmer would be appointed to the magisterial bench, and he had been appointed a judge of the Native Land Court.

The Hon. J. Carroll said the Government was perfectly satisfied with the appointment of Mr Jackson Palme-r, and tha whole of the people, of Auckland were perfectly satisfied. Mr Palmer was eminently fitted fc tho potion. As to th» appointment being a discredit to tho=e connected with it, no one was responsible for the aprcoinihnent except himself (Mr Carroll). It was highly desirable that a lawyer shouH be. appointed, and it had been previously offered to others in the legal profession, who were not abls ro accept it. He (Mr Carroll) suggested Mr Jackson Palmer to his colleagues, and he could say that none of his colleagues .'n the Ministry ever made overtures to him in regard to a,n appointment for Mr Jackson Palmer. He was satisfied as to Mr Palmer's position as a judge of tha Native Land Court. Up to the present Mr Palmer's work had given satisfaction to thousands of Natives, and he (Mr Carroll) believed Mr Palmer would make an excellent man for the position and would be capable of great wr.ik. If Mr Taylor had any charges against Mr Palmer he should bring them out, and not make insinuations.

The Premier said Mr Palmer was a member of Parliament for many yeai'S, and was looked up to and inspected; but now, because he had been appointed to a Government position, his namo was brought bs-fore the House with an innuendo and inference which showed a w%it of the finer feelings. Advantage was taken of a place in the House to say things which the memb&r would not dare to say outside. It wag easy for Mr Taylor to say ho prophesied. He knew thact vacancies in the magistracy were filled by members of the legal profession, and, knowing a man. to be a good lawyer and worthy of the> position, he could prophesy. But when Mr Taylor spoke on the subject in the House last year he said the appointment was arranged. That was incorrect. The Native Minister hael tod the House the facts about tho appointment of Mr Jaokson Palmer. It had never been, suggested that Mr Palmer %vas not fit for the position. Hi* large experience of Native law fitted him well for it.