A CONFESSION: "WAS IT WRONG?"

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 387, 7 December 1889, Page 2

A CONFESSION: "WAS IT WRONG?"

This is the question that Mr Arthur asked of the meeting at Ormond on Wednesday last, and wa have not the Slightest hesitation in replying in the affirmative. The question was asked in reference to the private letters by Mr Arthur to the Chief Judge of the Land Court, to facilitate his (Mr Arthur’s) obtaining a title to the Tokomaru Block. Mr Arthur, after a week’s delay, has only just thought it necessary to make an explanation. He had ample opportunity to do this through the Press or at the meeting held at Patutahi. He neglected these opportunities, and now, quite comes forward to defend himself. Mr AHhur, in defence) epoke In

slow and measured tones, as if he was carefully weighing every word, and yet we find, in his explanation, a remarkable similarity to that of Mr Andrew Graham. He spoke of the letters being “ twisted ” and “ turned,” and of a desire to “ fix up” his title, and then went on to defend an indefensible matter. No sorrow was expressed for having inadvertently written to a Judge upon a matter before his tribunal. No, Mr Arthur, after his evasive

answer at Gisborne, in which he first denied, and then partly admitted the writing of the letters, confessed that the letters were written by him, and accepted the responsibility of them, but pleaded that no harm was meant. But for Mr Arthur’s candidature we may safely assume that this method of endeavoring to influence the course of justice would never have come to light, for that it was an attempt to influence a Judge behind the other parties’ backs—whether intentional or not —is quite clear. Not only that, but we have a direct charge against the uprightness and integrity of a Judge, and the insinuation that he would allow his personal predictions to influence his judgment. We have left those letters uncommented upon because we believed there might be some plausible explanation to make. It might have been customary to make such private appeals to Judges, which, although it would not excuse the gross breach of judicial etiquette, might yet furnish some grounds for believing that Mr Arthur] might by inadvertence have been led into error. We can, however, after Mr Arthur’s explanation no longer remain silent, and we say it was decidedly wrong for Mr Arthur or anyone else to write to a Judge in the way that he has done. The fact that Mr Arthur might have been striving for sixty years to get a title makes not one iota of difference. We suppose

that while Mr Arthur’s wants were being attended to others had to wait. The way affairs have been conducted in connection with the Native Lands Court and in native land jobbing have been the cause of many public scandals in the past, and we hope for the honor of this district and for the colony at large, some sweeping reform will be made in the procedure of the Court, so as to place that Court above the suspicion that must necessarily attach to it if the parties are allowed to have prir vate communications with the Judges. We

are quite satisfied the Chief Judge was not influenced by Mr Arthur’s letters, and that all his actions were aboveboard, Ry placing the letters on the file of the Court he snowed his stern sense of judicial honor ; consideration for Mr Arthur’s feelings alone we believe prevented his returning the documents. But oqtside the Judge and the parties the public have an interest in seeing their tribunals uncorrupted, and were Mr Arthur not a candidate we should still feel our bounden duty to assert that ha had done wrong in writing those letters. What the electors whoso suffrages he wishes to gain will think of the matter, coming so close as it does upon another matter which has been echoed throughout the colony to our disadvantage, remains to be seen, We have not thought It necessary to refer to Mr Arthur's denial that anything about “ pecuniary reasons " was mentioned in the letters, as Mr Arthur having admitted writing them, they now speak for themselves.