DICTATING TO A JUDGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16780, 8 July 1922, Page 13

DICTATING TO A JUDGE.

A MEMBER’S TELEGRAM. (.Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON. July 7. “ A member of Parliament has been attempting to dictate to the Arbitration Court Judge ” announced Mr M’Combs bv way of a preliminary to a question to the House to-day. Ho read a newspaper report of what he called tlie rebuke administered by Mr Justice Frazer to Mr J. R. Hamilton, who had telegraphed that the Arbitration Court must sit in Invercargill if the majority of farmers. who were parties to a case, desired this. Tho telegram, said Mr M.’Combs, concluded with the words; ‘ Reply at once.” '' Fancy that to a Supreme Court Judge! ’’ exclaimed the member for Lyttelton, who requested the Minister of Justice to have regulations drawn preventing members of Parliament from dictating to Judges how they should act on the bench. The Hon E. P. Le© replied that this was not at all necessary, becauso Supreme Court Judges had full and ample power to deal with anyone, whether a member of Parliament <.r otherwise, who attempted to interfere with them. Mr Howard : What would have happened if it had been a Labour member? (Laughter). Mr -T. R. Hamilton came into tho discussion with a question to the Minister of Justice to know whether ho thought a Judge was within his rights in rebuking a member .of Parliament for carrying out instructions contained in a communication from the Clerk of Awards, instructing farmers to reply to the Court. Hon E. P- Lee: Under the standing orders of this House comment on the conduct of a Supreme Court Judge :s not in order. (Laughter)