11

H.—ll

talent in legal reporting. Incompetent stenographers are as mrch worse than none at all as can be imagined. The interests involved in litigation are too great to experiment with cheap labour. A poor stenographer will prejudice the whole system. I think from some of the Acts set forth in our reports you may glean some points of value for your proposed Bill. I would recommend that you insert a clause providing for some test as to competenjy. It might also be wise to frame your law or Bill in such manner as that each Judge should have his own stenographer, and in that way, by being attached to the Judge's office, it would provide the Judg. with a private secretary, who, out of term time, could receive dictation of the Judge's correspondence, legal opinions, &c. It now seems to me I have sufficiently covered the scope of your inquiry, but, if I have not, and there is any point upon which you desire further information, lam at your service. I shall bo glad to be advised of the progress of your Bill from time to time, and lo receive a copy of it so soon as printed, for I take it that the Bill enclosed mo is one which failed of passage at your last session. Wishing you success in your proposed movement, and with apologies for my long silence, I have, See., Spenceh C. Bodgees, The Hon. the Minister of Justice, Official Court Stenographer, Third Judicial Wellington, New Zealand. District of New York.

Enclosure A in No. 12. Opinions op Judges and Lawyebs. Economizes time, therefore the public money, in despatching a third more business. To everybody but the lawyer who has neglected to prepare his case a stenographer is of very great benefit in a jury trial.—Judge Bush, New York. I am entirely satisfied that it facilitates the disposition of business, and is greatly advantageous to the Court and counsel engaged in trials. It is also a matter of economy. The Judges in this district could hardly be induced to abandon if.—Judge Ingalls, New York. The expense will be more than justified by the despatch given to the business of the Court.— Judge Williams, Illinois. Has become an absolute necessity in expediting the presentation of testimony before a jury, and the despatch of business. It saves time and expense. —Chief Justice Gaey, Illinois. I am entirely satisfied of the facility which it affords to both Court and counsel in the rapid disposition of business and the saving of expense.—Judge Jameson, Illinois. Greatly facilitates business. Saves an immense amount of labour. The only way to try any important case. In my judgment it saves three-fourths of the labour required by the old system. —Elliot Anthony, Illinois. We try cases now in just about half the time consumed under the old longhand style. The system has become with us well nigh universal. We are relieved from all annoyance in making up bills of exceptions.—Emeby A. Stoees, Illinois. Alike beneficial to the public, the Bench, the Bar, and to litigants, in the saving of time.— Judge Hulbut, New York. Looking at it in any aspect it is a great advantage to have a stenographer. I could not for any consideration be induced to part with one.—Judge Muebay, New York. Our cases are now, I think, uniformly made up from the reporter's notes, and it saves us much time and labour in settling them.—Judge Bacon, Now York. I believe the system must become universal in the taking of evidence.—Judge Boaedman, New York. I would not part with the services of a reporter on any consideration. A bad one is a nuisance. —Judge Mullin, New York. The business of a Court is expedited one-third, and consequently a large item of expense is saved. The Bar as well as the Judges in this district would not consent to do without a reporter at the circuits.—Judge Sciioonmaeee, New York. If you have not tried this system of stenographic reporting in the Courts you have little idea how much of the hard labour, the mere drudgery of a circuit, it takes from the Judge. I have no doubt at all that it is an economical system, in the matter of time and expense, to any county. — Hon. Thos. A. Johnson, New York. Besides the advantage to Court and counsel and the cause of justice, by having an accurate record of the proceedings in a cause, there is a manifest economy resulting from the presence of a