240 TiMEHRI. 



be found spread over a series of years and a large 

 number of separate ena6lments. It is in consequence 

 not always easy to ascertain what is the existing law on 

 any given point and to harmonize and apply it when it is 

 ascertained. 



Suggestions for Revision. 

 We may then fairly arrive at the conclusion that, 

 to quote again the words of Mr. ROBERTSON, 

 "some attempt must be made to simplify the task 

 of learning the laws by improving their expression and 

 arrangement." It may be pointed out that a private editor 

 has no power to effe6l such an improvement. He is not 

 armed with the requisite authority to reduce and simplify 

 the involved and cumbrous phraseology of the older 

 ena6lments, nor is he empowered to combine into one 

 well-arranged Ordinance the half-dozen or more Ordin- 

 ances relating to any particular subje6l of legislation. 

 These powers the Legislature alone can supply. And if, 

 as I trust, the question of statute law revision is brought 

 before the Legislature at an early date, it will be for them 

 to determine whether such revision shall be undertaken, 

 and, if so, the lines upon which it shall proceed. It 

 seems to me that two courses are open to them. They 

 may either direft that an entirely new draft edition be 

 prepared, in the form of a logically-arranged and com- 

 plete code of statute law, such edition to be printed and 

 submitted for their consideration in the same way as a 

 new Bill on any subje6l on which it is proposed to legis- 

 late, or they may dire6l that a new and revised edition 

 of the statute laws be prepared and published as law 

 without their further intervention. In either case a 

 special Ordinance will be required for the appointment 



