False Reports aggravated by Obstinacy.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 293, 2 May 1889, Page 2

False Reports aggravated by Obstinacy.

JUDGE BARTON REFUSED FAIR PLAY. [TO THE EDITOR OF THS GISBOBNS STANDARD. ] Sia,—l posted yesterday evening to the Editor of the Gisborne Herald, a letter for publication, a copy of which I now enclose to you. As you will see upon reading it the letter was a correction of a paragraph in yesterday's Herald, falsely making it appear that I had attacked, with more than ordinary rudeness and vulgarity, a counsel and his client in a case then being heard before me. As the Editor of the Herald has not published my letter, will yo do me the favor of letting my contradiction of that paragraph be known to the public ?—I am, &0., G. E. Barton. May 1, 1889. ' COPT. [TO THS EDITOR OF THE FOVEBTX BAX HERALD.] Sir,—ln your issue of this evening you publish a paragraph stating that I " administered a severe rebuke to a lawyer and hia client, who came before the Court with .applications ” described in the paragraph, and further stating that I " gave it to be understood that I would have no ' bogus law ' and no ‘ try one' in the Court, ” Your reporter was not present, and I therefore presume that the paragraph I have quoted from was a communication to you from some person not on your staff. It is incorrect from the beginning to the end of it. I rebuked no lawyer and his client. I said nothing about 11 bogus law” or "try one," and, as yet, I have delivered no judgment in the case alluded to.

I am by no means desirous of having the reputation fastened upon me of making attacks upon barristers who come before me to plead the causes of their clients and I hope never to acquire any such habit. I am not one of those who think that a Judge is licensed when on the Bench to behave discourteously to members of the Bar, or otherwise than as a gentleman should behave to gentlemen. I ask you to do me the favor of publishing this letter, and also to do me the further favor of in future striking out from communicated paragraphs any vulgar attack upon counsel practising in the Native Land Court that may be alleged to have proceeded out of my mouth. —I am, <S;o„ G, E. BauSW, Judge of the Native Land Court, April 80,1889.