Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

6 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

Advertising

[No title]

[No title]

Advertising

NOTICE.

LEGAL JOBBERY AND THE WELS#…

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

LEGAL JOBBERY AND THE WELS# LANGUAGE. Last week we referred to the appointment Of Mr. Cecil Beresford to the county-court judge- ¡,i;;¡ of Mid-Wales, and reminded our readers of an article under the same title which ap" peared in our issue of August 14th, referring to the appointment of Mr. Woodfall as revising barrister for East Carmarthen and Pembroke. Our objections to both these appointments weie based on similar grounds. In the first place, neither of these gentlemen possessed a knoW- ledge of the Welsh language, which in our opinion was necessary for the posts. In the second place, the unwritten law of the pro- fession was transgressed in both cases. It is usual to appoint the oldest junior as revising barrister. Mr. Woodfall, on the other hand, was a barrister of only eight years' standing, two of which had been spent in New Zealand, while suc'i men as Mr. David Lewis, Of Swansea, and Mr. David^.Tones L ^wis, barristers of 18 years' standing, with a wide legal e$- perience, and possessing a knowledge of tbe Welsh language, were overlooked. It could not even be said that the appointment was given to Mr. Woodfall for political reasons for both the other gentlemen we have mentioned are strong Conservatives. The same has been the case with the Mid-Wales county-court judgeship. Mr. Cecil Beresford, who makes no pretence to the slightest acquaintance with the Welsh language, has been appointed to a judge- ship in the most typical Welsh circuit. As Mr- Abel Thomas points out in another column, tlljs will entail great hardship and injustice on tbe poorer litigants, who cannot afford to engage a lawyer. In this instance, also, the unwritten law of such appointments has been transgressed, for Cecil Beresford is not even a member Of either of the Welsh circuits. Neither of these gentlemen are more coJ1- spicuous than thei ë fellows for their legal knowledge or ability. Why is it, one is col11- pelled to ask, that these gentlemen are singled out for these lucrative appointments, even 801; the cost of breaking the usual custom observe^ in such matters ? It is not out of deference to the feelings or wishes of the people of Wale{,» for they prefer one who can speak their own languaga. It is not even that these gentlenleo are strong Conservatives, and have done-and may be e <pected to do—good service to the Con- servative cause for there are many Conserva- tivc3 in Wales who are better qualified for these posts. These gentlemen have simply been hoisted into office through family influence aDd D barefaced jobbery. Mr. Robert W oodfa happens to be a brother-in-law to the Lord Lord Chancellor, and Mr. Bei-esfcrd happens to be a godson of Lord Salisbury. We do not blanae the Lord Chancellor or the Premier for honour- ably providing for their families and friends, but we have a right to demand that it is not done at the expense of the public and to the detriment of better men. We cannot but de- scribe both appointments as jobs" of tlIe worst description. Once upon a time all cases tried in vNrales were heard in the Welsh language, and before Welsh-speaking judges. We do not wish to go back to a system that was d Jlished in 1536 by the Act of Union between England and \ValeS. For years after the Union a determined efio ft was made to put down the distinctive featureS of Welsh nationality. The old Welsh custoloo and institutions were swept away; Cj'1*1 horthau were declared to be illegal, th'è bard; and such-like vagabonds were put down, -k it was declared illegal for any official to sPeC