Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Volume VII, Number 30, 25 July 1868 — Our Supreme Court. [ARTICLE]

Our Supreme Court.

Tlie Supr»?iise Ci»urt .sin« e the death oi j ihe First Justice ha« hee'h a topic I of no little d«scus>iou, and mueh anxiety has been felt to know who wouid be appoioted to fiii the vacariL'y. It is now nearly two years since the vacancy was occasioned and as yet no appointment has been made to remedy tbe defect. At times it is rumored that a person has been secured abroad, and verv lately we heard that he was daily ex-» pected. One case, if not inore, is awaitingj a coinplete l»ench for a decision ; the pauie* ! to the suit have £°od reason to «-ompiain at I the delay. | Soon after the death of Judge Kob-1 ertson it was said that the position had heen offered to J. W. Austin Esq., and by him declined. On the resignation of the Second Associate Justice, speculation was rife as to the person who \vould be seiected to fiU the vacancy madc by the resignation ; the Honorabie Chief Justice being the oniy occupant of the Bench, and a term of the Court ciose at hand, some appoinlment must be mnde, and : i gain anxiety possessed the cominunity, and wel! grounded fears were felt thnt some needy adventurer, or favorite of the Crown, wou!d receive the appointment. is it fair that the community shou!d bu kept nltemnting between hope and fear ? Fortunately, so far as the people arc concerned, Mr." Austin was prevailed upon to aeeepi the nosition of second associate, temporariiy it is averred by some, and the anxiety of the eommunity is ailayed for ihe tiine being. The succession oi' dilemmas in whieh the Government has found it.«eif placed by the death and resignation of the Associate Justices, show the imperative neccessity of having some avaiiable person in the line of promotion. The first person to whom we naturaliy look is the Attorney General, a gent!eman with whose views as to govemmental poiioy we may difler, but who in the exertM'se ofhis functions as Attorney Generai has given-evidence of legal ability, and by his suave and eourteous hearing to the Court and bar has won their esteem. This gentiemnn, however, does not consider the honors connected with a position on the Beneh and the salary of four thousand dollars as an equivnlent for the honor of being a member of the Cabinet with its salary of five thousand dollars, und eonsequently, he is not nvailable. Next in order, we eome to the Poliee Justice of this city, to whoin we more nntur«illy look, one appointment to the Supreme Bench havmg n!ready been tnade from this Court: an individuai whom the Government, for prudential reasons possibly, do not consider available for causes upon whieh we will not enlarge. This being the condition of afinirs. the government looked to the bar for a candidate, and the result is thnt they made a happy seleetion. The experience of the past proves the need of having some person in training for just snch emergencies. The AttorneyGenernlsduties nnd appointment being provided for by the Constittition, no change ean be made withotit toogreata lapse of time; but we maintam that sotne one of the yourtggentlemnn who prnctice at the bar of the Supreme Court should be i»ppointed to the Poliee Bench. The selection should be cnutiously innde, one most essental requirement to be ijisisted upon «hou!d be a complete and f«imiliar aequaintance with the Hawaiian language and customs. The more closelv allied the person mty be, by reason of birth, \vith the Hawaiian people the better, but his present reputation and character shouid vouch for his honesty and stability in the future. lt is due to coming generations that every care «nd pTeeaution should be taken to sustain the h»gh reputation whieh our Supreme Court hus won both at home and abroad. Ka Aha Hookolokolo Kiekie.—l keia pule no, ua lawe ia mai imua o ka Aha Hookolokolo Kiekie keknhi mau hihia malalo iho nei: Aeheu vs ia Wong Kuai, hoopii poho e koi anaehoihoiia mai na daia e $5 000 00. Hookuuia. ■ * ■ .O W, C. Jones (Aeto) no ka mea hoopii, a o Alapaki a Kauka a me Kanale no ka mea i hoopiiin. Charles Kanaina vs m Kaiama, e kipaku ana. Hoopania. O ktt Loao Aeto ma ka aoao hoopii. a o S. W. Mahelona no ka tue;i i hoopiiia. Ke alii kue in Mr. Kinney. no ka hooholo kolohe ana i feek»hi moku ma ke ano aihue, hoopai|fi ma ka h»na oolea hookahi makahiki.