JUSTICES AND THE LAW

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1929, Page 9

JUSTICES AND THE LAW

ADVICE FROM MINISTER. DANGER OF PASSING COMMENT, Wellington, July 17. The propriety of the reported remarks of Mr. J. S. Brown, J.P., at Hamilton, in sentencing a young man to one month’s imprisonment on a charge of being idle and disorderly was called into question by the Leader of the Ixibour Party, Mr. fl E. Holland, in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Granted permission to put an urgent question to the Minister of Justice, tha Hon. T. M. Wilford, Mr. Holland directed attention to a report in which the justice was reported to have said; “There was any amount of work available." At a later stage, according to the report, the justice had suggested that when the accused came out of gaol he should try to get work. He might not be able to return to his trade, and he might not get union wages. “I want to ask the Minister if he will ascertain whether Mr. Brown made the statement that there was any amount of work available,” said Mr. Holland. “There are hordes of unemployed, and, if made, the statement, cannot be correct. Again, Mr. Brown is reported as having advised the man to take less than union wages. If he said, that he was advising the man to break the law. If the report is true, will the Minister take steps to ensure against such statements being made by justices in the future.” “I will have much pleasure in Inquirin°f into the circumstances, replied Mr. Walford. He added that he found it difficult to believe that such statements would be made by a justice. I recently addressed a gathering of justices, said the Minister. “My advice to them was to give their judgments, but not their reasons, because their judgments would probably be right and their reasons wrong. (Laughter.) I will have a full inquiry made, and if the facts are as reported I will take such action as it fitting."