Indian Clerks Threaten Chief

Justice A Gilbertian Situation

From Our Own Correspondent.

SUVA, June 17.

A TRULY Gilbertian situation has arisen in Fiji.

Last year the Chief Justice (His Honour Sir Maxwell Maxwell-Anderson) uttered from the Bench a condemnation in no un certain terms of the conduct of certain Indian clerks to solicitors —this, as a re sult of the trial for perjury of one Jaimal, an Indian money-lender. He then issued instructions that no documents, etc., in terpreted by these clerks were to be accepted at the Supreme Court Registries and consequently no solicitor would em ploy them.

Some of the clerks resented strongly the imputations put upon them, and it is reported that they have actually prepared for issue against Sir Maxwell Maxwell- Anderson writs for libel claiming £5000 damages. The only place in which such actions could be brought would be the Supreme Court of Fiji—His Honour’s own court.

Mr. A. H. Buckland, who was recently accepted by the Australian Board of Missions for work in Papua, sailed for Port Moresby by the Montoro on July 6.

He will be stationed on the north-east coast of Papua, and will be engaged in teaching and other missionary work. Mr.

Buckland has had missionary experience in New Hebrides, having been stationed for some years at Tanna Island.