The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1911. THE RAROTONGAN TROUBLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 10, 28 August 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1911. THE RAROTONGAN TROUBLE.

In a brief review of Thursday’s proceedings in Parliament the Wellington “Post” remarks that in accordance with an order of the day, the House of Representatives was to discuss Sir Robert Stout’s report on the Cook Islands. Members of both parties did refer to affairs and alleged affairs at Rarotonga and other little islands of the scattered group, but the chief feature of the debate was an Opposition attack on the Chief Justice and a protest against the Government’s procedure in selecting a Judge of the Supreme Court to conduct the enquiry. Mr Wright opened the controversy with a motion to refer the report back to the Chief Justice for further consideration. The mover alleged that the report was biased and unworthy of the traditions of the Supremo Court Bench. Sir James Carroll gave an opinion that the whole trouble in the Cook Group was traceable to the personal feeling of two or three Europeans in Rarotonga, backed up by political feeling in New Zealand. Mr James Allen resumed his recessional tirade against the Chid Justice, and again brought in the Hine charges. The parties were now at grips, and the chances for a cool, dispassionate analysis of the rcpoi c vanished. Early in the evening Mi Massey pursued the Chief Justice up and down country and overseas, ami Government members similarly pursued the Opposition. The Cook Group was a little peg on which a big party squabble was suspended. Mr Wright' finished Ids reply at about 11.30. The motion was lost on the voices, and the House rose. Writing editorially on the debate, our contemporary concludes an article thus:—“The position of the Judges,” Mr Laurenson argued, “should lie sacred.” So it should, and just for that reason it should he respected by the Government of the day. But the sacro-sanotify that doth hedge a Judge disappears as soon as ho ceases to act as a Judge. When I’rospero plucked his magic garment from him and laid it down with a “Lie there, my art,” he at once became

subject to all the ordinary limitations of humanity. So must it bo with a Judge. There arc those who would say that our quotation lias a wider application to the present case than wo have given it, that with the laying aside of lug judicial robes and the undertaking of a non-judicial enquiry. Sir Hebert Stout ceased to he judicial. Personally, as we have previously stated, wo have full conlidenco in I.is fairness and capacity. Some of the ugliest of the charges lie seems to us to have completely exploded. There are others on which we are quite prepared to accept his findings, though the material for an independent judgment is not contained in his report. But it must ho conceded that the manner in which the material is set out is in some respects as unjudicial as the process hy which the enquiry was con-

[noted, and one cannot wonder that ; tails to carry conviction to the v.nnlainants and their advocates. A cry unfortunate business will, howver, have served, one good purpose r it nets as a warning to both the (»oernmont and the ]!eneh of the grave

longer winch lies in any contusion or r.orlapping of their respective J'nnc- • ions. Let the cobbler stick to his ;ast. the Government to its administration, and the -Judge to In’s Bench.