The Review of Reviews. 



December 1, 1906. 



Bttrliiti^lon'] 



Mr Justice Higgins. 



I Pholo. 



Sic'iss S/iii/ti 



Mr Justice Isaacs 



THE NEWLY-APPOINTED HIGH COURT JUDGES. 



prognosticate. The conditions are so mixed, and 

 political parties so many and distinct that no one 

 can say what the outcome will be. One very amus- 

 ing feature of the elections is the pain which is in- 

 duced when Laboiu- Leagues refuse to give con- 

 tinued support to old represent.itives. Poor Mr. 

 Ronald, for instance, who represented a Labour 

 constituencv during the last Parliament, signed 

 its contract, and obeved its commands, has 

 this year been rejected by the Political Coun- 

 cil. Of course he complains, and cites faith- 

 ful and unswerving obedience to unalterable laws 

 during his term ; but Mr. Ronald cannot com- 

 plain of rejection at the hands of a body by whose 

 decision he decides to abide. One of the first neces- 

 sities in a budding Labour candidate is that he shall 

 obey the decision of the party and stand down if 

 desired, and Mr. Ronald has been through all that. 

 It was all right when he was accepted three years 

 ago, but all wrong now. The party cannot be 

 blamed, it is fair fighting, and open to any party, but 

 the remedy is not to whine, but to refuse to sub- 

 scribe to its tenets, not to sign its contracts, and not 

 to be bound by its behests. Mr. Ronald is onlv 

 going thr.iugh the experience that everyone must at 

 some time go through who binds himself bodv and 

 soul to anv piilirirn] partv. and surrenders his politi- 



cal conscience to the keeping of another. Senator 

 Dawson, rejected by the Council of Queensland, 

 possibly because of his Melbourne experience this 

 year, is also railing bitterly against the Caucus, and 

 IS running on his own. 



The 

 nigh Court 

 Promotions. 



The elevation of Mr. Higgins and 

 Mr. Isaacs to the High Court Bench 

 has provoked no adverse comment. 

 It is recognised that each of the 

 gentlemen w ill bring to his new duties a skill and 

 acumen that will do the position credit. Both art 

 exceedinglv well qualified, but it will be rather a 

 change for both to rise from the hurly-burly of poli- 

 tics, especiallv on the eve of a very mixed general 

 election, into the serene atmosphere that surrounds 

 a High Court bench. Neither can be said to have 

 accepted the position from ulterior motives, for both 

 enjoyed lucrative practices, and will probably sur- 

 render some financial benefit. Of course there is 

 some question as to the necessity for the appoint- 

 ments. The statement is made that the work could 

 not be overtaken bv the three judges, and if that be 

 so, the appointments were necessary. It might be 

 well worth considering where the necessitv for ap- 

 peals to the Privy Council comes in, with all the 

 provision that has been made in the Full Court for 

 the satisfvins of the demands of the law. 



