Round the Compass

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18339, 16 December 1927, Page 6

Round the Compass

DISPENSES JUSTICE. TUSTICE, tempered with mercy and dealt with courtesy. That summarises the methods used by H. A. Young, senior stipendiary magistrate in Christchurch. A rash decision in an}- case, no matter how trifling, is never known to have come from him. The evidence has been heard, counsel have addressed the Court, and then comes a pause. The Magistrate sits there immobile, scanning the pages of the record book with unseeing eyes. For five, ten, and sometimes twenty minutes he sits there, apparently indifferent to his surroundings. But all the time he is considering the case—thinking it over piece by piece and trying to find what is fairest to the parties or what would be best for the prisoner, bearing in mind all the time that as magistrate, he has a duty to the whole community. To the most hardened offender he is courteous, whilst those who are brought into contact with him realise immediately that they are meeting a cultured gentleman. * * * * ACROSS THE PACIFIC. TT must be admitted that there is a Something that is Somehow Different in the way in which the American newspapers “ put over ” news. Take, for instance, the following extract from the “ Peona (Pa.) LedgerHerald and Times-Tribune.” It is headed “ Butter and Egg Man Runs Wild ” —“ Fills Bellhop with Lead at Society Razz.” Legal battlers are to war for the life of Zebrlah A. Slattenbaum, noted oil baron and prominent clubman, indicted on a claim of slaying in the fourth degree. It seems that while the popular commuter was hitting the high spots at a flaski-toting society razz in a local roadhouse a bellhop dished him coca-kola in error for two fingers of “Bring me Bourbon," reiterated the aggrieved stock juggler; to which the youth replied, “ Hsn-d. drinks are off.” Without further .•omment the carefree broker pulled r gat and emptied eight shells into th lads quivering corpse. Sleuths darting to the scene averted the unhappy .sheik’s attempt to terminate his existence by drinking water. “What will my girl friend say?” moaned the poor sap as cops trundled him prismjward. “I didn't mean to do it,’’ he. averred. Senator Glummerbiltz- is to crank the political handle to secure a free pardon for the penitent jute shipper. « * » BECAME SINN FEIXER. in 1914, when the provisional exclusion of Ulster for six years by county option was proposed by Mr Asquith, he protested against this plan for “ chopping Ireland to bits.” After 1918 he declared for Sinn Fein as against the policy with which he had long been identified, and when in 1922 he was selected as the first GovernorGeneral of the Irish Free State, his nomination was not approved by the Nationalists for that reason. But the choice proved to be an excellent one. The first member of the Irish Gaelic race to occupy the Vice-Regal Lodge, he was connected by personal ties with the Free State Ministers who were ready to consult their former colleague

as they would never have consulted an English Governor. Mr Healv is a strong Catholic, and in a recent speech on evolution he declared that there was no greater humbug than the socalled modern scientist who said he had discovered the beginning of life, but could not start the hind leg of a flea. “ This monkey business,” he added, “ was started because it struck at the existence of the human soul. Such teaching leads straight to paganism, and it is because the Catholic Church says so that she is hated.” Mr Healy’s books include: “A Word for Ireland,” “ Loyalty Plus Murder,” “ Stolen Waters ” and “ The Great Fraud of Ulster.” OLD CAMPAIGNERS. TKJ-DAY’S cables announce that Mr Tim Healy, Governor-General of the Irish Free State, is likely to retire shortly. Mr Timothy Healy was born at Bantry, Cork, in May, 1855, and educated at the Christian Brothers’ School at Fermoy. In 1884 he was called to the Irish bar, becoming a Q.C.. in 1899. He entered Parliament in ISBO as a Nationalist, and represented various

divisions till 191 S, when he lost his seat. A clever lawyer, he was called to the English Bar in 1903, and in 1911 became a K.C. During the Irish struggle for Home Rule he was one of the most effective of the Nationalist orators. His speeches were by turns witty and pasr sionate, whimsical and malicious. Thus, after the Liberal split, when Mr Joseph Chamberlain, during Glad' stone’s absence, remarked: “ When the cat’s away, the mice will play,” Mr Healy added bitterly: “And the rats.” He was a stormy petrel, and when he rose to speak it was a signal for the House to fill. On one occasion he completely outwitted the Speaker. His colleagues had been dragging Ireland into a debate on Uganda, and had been checked for irrelevance. Mr Ilealy, however, could not be checked, for he rose “as a native of Uganda.” and dealt exhaustively with the Irish question while solemnly pretending that he was speaking of the African colony, the names of whose towns had a remarkably Irish flavour. He was a strong opponent of the 1909 Budget. In 1910 he accused Messrs Redmond and Dillon of having sold the Irish vote to the Liberals.