THE NEW COURTHOUSE.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8056, 14 November 1906, Page 2

THE NEW COURTHOUSE.

BENCH AND BAR. When the Magistrate's Court opened this morning, Mr A. Swarbrick, as senior member of the Hamilton Bar, craved permission of his Worship to say a few words on the subject of the new buildiDg, on behalf of his feilow practitioners. The town was to be congratulated on the fact that at last it had a suitable building in which the administration of the law cuu d be carried out. In the past the oonduct of the court had been carried out under gre t disadvantage and inconvenience, for noi e but those having business in the Couit know what a severe strain was involved by a heavy day's work, and it was much to the pleasure of the legal practitioners that they removed to the present court. But there was a higher standpoint than personal convenience, for the real sanotum of the law lay in the respect in which it is held by the c immunity generally, and when its representatives were houstd in an appropriate manner it added greatly to this. Men were largely influeoced by their surroundings, and the more cheerful environs would hive a mott beneficent effect on all. For these reasoci he Cunaidered bench, bar and public werea l to be congratulated on p ssessing a buil - ing cjmmensurate with the growing importance of the town and district. Mr Northcroft, in acknowledging tl e remarks of Mr Swarbrick, said for soma time past they had deserved a better buil '- ing. As they knew, the old Courthouse was not on the proper site, and even so far back as 1879 it had been the intention to shift to the site which was some few yards lower down the street. Now they had a convenient building, there was a possibility of their obtaining a sitting of the Supreme Court, as towns of less importance than Hamilton had that. 'lhe members of the Bar should make an endeavour to get more volumes for the law library. In regard to the building, ha might say that it could have been obtained two years ago had not some of the good people of Hamilton objected to the site, which, he considered, in every way an admirable one.