WIG AND GOWN.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 335, 9 May 1885, Page 13

WIG AND GOWN.

£This column is intended to supply a want There are some matters of legal information which ar e of special interest to many classes of the community; these will be supplied in this column. It is de3irable that leading cases and decisions should be brought before the public in such a shape that they can understand them ; this we purpose week by week to do in. this column for our roader3. Every English subject is supposed to_ know the Jaw, but most Englishmen are content to find it out through their lawyer, although, the contentment hardly extends to paying tho bill for the advice. In this column will be answered by competent authority any legal queries that may be sent us by our readers, so long as they are sufficiently concise to be dealt with in the space at our command. Thus we propose to make of this column the People's Complete Lawyer, embracing legal facts, legal gossip, and legal information on points of law useful to the public. Our readers are invited to take advantage of this column by sending any queries they may desire to have answered. All questions that reach us by Tuesdaymorning will, if possible, be answered in the sama week's issue]

There are no Cities of Refuge for murderers in New Zealand. In the last few months two men, who are believed to have brought their crimes for concealment to this city, have found that they had brought them to a very; bad place for the purpose. This is gratifying for various reasons. No country can be benefited by getting the reputation of being a place of safety for criminals. It is also pleasant to find that our police authorities are on the alert to prevent it. The capture of the man calling himself Walter H. Lennox Maxwell last week was cleverly executed, and credit is due to the police authorities, not only for the arrest, but for its quiet and neat execution. There is, after all, much advance being made in such matters as these iv this generation. It is to be regretted that the increase of wealth, appears to cause au increase of crime, which fully keeps pace with our improved means of detecting and punishing it. The circumstances of the crime for which Maxwell was arrested last week are as yet wholly unknown here. The fact that such a crime had been committed at all was not kuown to the American press when the mail steamer left San Eraueiseo. Yet before the accused could land in New Zealand, he was safe in the hands of justice. Such rapidity of retribution cannot but prove a check upon crime ; unfortunately, even this is no preventive.

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