NO LONGER ADEQUATE

Southland Times, Issue 22472, 7 November 1934, Page 6

NO LONGER ADEQUATE

If Grand Juries have patience to be exhausted, the presentment made at the opening of the criminal session of the Supreme Court, criticizing the building would have been couched in even stronger terms. These are days in which the value of moderate language when dealing with State departments is doubted; but the grounds for the Grand Jury’s criticism are so obvious that the bare reference to them should be enough to move the Government to action. It is not too much to say that ten years ago this building had become obsolescent, that it had become an inconvenience, even an obstruction to the application of the King’s justice in Invercargill. To-day the situation is much worse. Apart from the fact that the building and its appointments are not in keeping with the dignity and importance of the Court, there are the disabilities mentioned by the Foreman to his Honour, Mr Justice Kennedy. The Grand Jury room is hopeless —it is an insult for the State to ask citizens to carry out their duties in such quarters, and the fact that witnesses have to be herded together in a small room, where there is no privacy and no convenience is a disgrace in these days. Both Court rooms are inadequate and hopelessly out-of-date, the quarters for the Judge and for the resident Magistrate are very poor. In addition the accommodation for the office staff is insufficient and work is hampered by lack of space and lack of modern equipment. No doubt the legal profession would lengthen this criticism by drawing attention to the poor accommodation for the Bar and for the Law library, which is an essential feature in the discharge of justice in any district. The building is hopelessly out-of-date, it has been so for a decade, and now the position is so acute that there is no longer any question of asking a favour. A new Courthouse in Invercargill is an urgent necessity, and it is to be hoped that this aspect of the matter will be pressed on the Minister of Justice. At this time the Government has shown a readiness to undertake the construction of new buildings for which there is need, as a means of assisting employment, and, therefore, this is the most favourable time for action.