South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3157, 16 May 1883, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1883.

Mr Allan Holmes the other evening addressed the students of the Otago University on “Law.” He found fault with the laws of the land as being (1) of excessive volume, (2) wanting in systematic arrangement, (3) of too great particularity ; and as having (4) inapt rules, (5) extrinsic formalities, (6) indeterminate rales. The public will not be slow to endorse this classification of the faults of onr statute law. The verbiage and the inordinate length of the statutes are matters well known to any one who has any acquaintance with the law. They make the statute-book a thing never to be mastered. The want of systematic arrangement is a matter which most interests members of the legal profession. They indeed are almost unanimous in declaring that the arrangement of the statnte-book is faulty, so faulty that it leads to endless confusion and loss of time. It is a matter however of which laymen can hardly judge fairly. The “ too great particularity ” in the laws is a thing very noticeable, both by layman and lawyers. It originates in the fact that our laws have been evolved out of decisions. The latest decision constitutes the law on a particular subject, and it is liable to be abrogated at any moment by a new decision. It is the lack of broad and general principles, and the excess of precedent which has imparted to onr law rules the excessive particularity of which Mr Holmes complains. Of “ inapt rules,” “ extrinsic formalities,” and “ indeterminate rules,” he has also something very pertinent to say. We have no intention, however, of going into these jninutte ; all we are concerned about is to support Mr Holmes’ contention that reform in law is sadly needed. The approach to the throne of justice is fenced about so completely as to be almost inapproachable, and Mr Holmes by directing attention to this even in bis limited sphere, has done good service.

One cannot help sympathising with the Blue Ribbon movement in Christchurch. In their ardour not fewer than HDgpersons on Monday night signed the pledge and donned the ribbon. “In hoc signo vinces” We must hope that this bit of blue ribbon will be a talisman for everyone who has accepted it. The movement may be a humble one, it may be accom-

panied with a good deal of absurd demonstration and some proceedings which savour of cant and sanctimony, but it is undoubtedly a movement in the right direction, and if it should be a means of attracting to the paths of temperance some wanderers in the byways of drunkenness there will be no reason to regret its inauguration in this colony. For, in truth, the publichouse is the. shrine of too many worshippers and if we are to preserve people from ruin we must strive t) wean them from an all-absorbing devotion to drink. Many of us may regard it as ridiculous that a man should feel obliged to bind himself by a public oath to abstain from drink, and many regard the blue ribbon as the badge of a weak mind. But we are apt to forget that there are weak people who require to be sustained by outside props, and if by such organizations we can win them to be temperate, by all means let ns encourage them. We have known reclaimed drunkards who have persevered in their new course of abstinence merely because of a newborn self-respect with which their connection with a society or brotherhood inspired them. Means of this kind, feeble or despicable as they may appear to some people, have already set thousands of besotted ones on their feet, and made honest men and nsefal citizens of them, and Heaven knows there are amongst us now sots and loafers and criminals and sufferers enough, victims of over-indulgence, to call for renewed energy on the part of the reforming agencies, and for this reason we heartily wish them success.

The application of the Mechanics’ Institute Committee for a remission of the assessment on their building is a most reasonable one, which we hope the Council will see their way to grant. The Institute has been kept afloat with difficulty, for a long time, by a few gentlemen who have had its interests at heart, and who wished the town to be provided with some repository of literature. They do not derive a single penny of profit from it, and, in fact,' they can barely make both ends meet. Special consideration is always due to cases of this kind, and we trust the Council will see their way to accede in this instance. Cr Gibson put the mattsr very forcibly before the Council at last meeting, and combatted the objection that such a concession would form a dangerous precedent. The circumstances are entirely exceptional ; it would be a very bad thing if there were, no such institution in the town, yet to keep it going is a very difficult task. If the Council can lighten the Committee’s burden, at any rate for a time, until increase of population and better times bring funds to the Institute, no ratepayer has any reason to grnmble.