SIR ROBERT STOUT'S EMOLUMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 13

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S EMOLUMENTS.

j DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. (Taoji ou« Own Corrbspoxdj»t ) 1 To. . WE LLINGTON, October 20. ' o'4v 00 nyn vt a t, d aS ?*' Jus^ c'e ' "KlMr ih J ti P \ qneetion to the Government I whether lt was a facfc thafc g. r Rcb . e > fetout, as chairman of the Native Land* ; Lonimiesion, had received £1286 hono- . >-amun and ££80 travelling expenses, as ! shown m return 81, in addition to his salary of £2000 a year and travelling GX . ! pentes as Chief Justice. , fiir Joseph Ward, in reply, said that ' T?k £L a .*i 11 * existed for hh * appointment , of the. Chief Justice as chairman of the . Native Lands Commission, an-d any as-sumptio-i that the work could have* bean dena as efficiently for a smaller fU !ti was totally Unfounded. The Chief Justice could not he called upon to do the work, as it was entirely out-side of his official functions. The country had the advantage { of his judicial office and very special ' kr.owledce of Native customs and- Native , legislation. Further, tfie confidence which ' the pc-opie. both European and Native, I had Klway folt in Sir Robert S.tout i pointed him out as the most suitable ■ for i this class of work. The work was done I under great pressure, and with extrai ordinary industry, and consequently i within a shorter time than any other man, ; even probably with the qualifications of the Chiuf Justice, could have done. The ! arrangement made with, the Chief Justice • as regards remuneration was the best t!hat ! would be obtained, and an impartial -sur- ! vey of the we rk done — its enormous im- , i portance to New Zealand, and the rela- ] tions of harmony which had bean left | between the Native people and the Euroj peais — had placed beyon-d question the ' asfjinption that the work done by Sir ' Robert Stout rould not 1 aye been done n.ore effici -jnth' , more expeditiouslr, or more economically than it was done. ! Kef erring to the matter in the course of his, .speech, itr Baume expressed the opinion tint no member of tlve Bench should be paid one sirfgle penny above his salary for any work he. did on or off the Bench. He went on to say that he felt sure his comments would not be taken as a reflection upon the Chief Justice, because Sir Bobert was so absolutely free from suspicion that he (the speaker) yy»B able to speak his mind. No man could pr,s«ibly accuse Sir Robert of selling his views far any sum, and it was equally ceitain that the Government, in oftering him the position at the head cf the Native Land Ctjmmi^ion, n -vev thought it would influence him. " But," continued Mr Bnume, "if such a thing bs continued.^ it must destroy the high position in which t'ne Bench i, lield. There was another judicial officer (Judge Palmer) who did work in connection \vit3i the commission. I don't know whether he Mas paid above hi.? salary." (Mr Cairoll : "No.") "I ;,m girl "to hear that that is the casa. It is"in accordance w ith the ideals of our ivimmunity thnt the -eputation of our judge» should be, like Casa.r's wife, above su-picio.i. O*nce a judgj is appointed his salary should b-? /ixtd, and nothing fnrther (should be expected by him. A judge should not be placed under circumstances where there ha po^s-ibiiity of his incurring hostility or friendship, favour or inoratitude, pinise or contumely, at the hands of the Government. Parliament, or the community generally in regard to lu9 work."— ("Hear, hear.-.")