The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-06-24 00:00:00

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TUMMY, JUNE 24, 1879:

THE COUNTY COURT JUDGE AND
THE PRESS.

It seems impossible longer to refrain from comment
on the unusual course adopted by Mr. Lefroy, the
County Court judge of this district, towards the Press.
Personally, the Editor of the Expert and rdwevors
has always received the greatest courtesy and kindness
from the County Court judges under whom he has sat
as reporter, and a feeling of respect, not only for the
office, but for the judges personally, has hitherto
delayed our noticing the irritation which has been
displayed in this district. The Editor will always
remember the one occasion when (as a reporter (he
was desired by a judge to leave the reporters seat. It
was at the town of Bideford, in North Devon. when,
on the representatives of the Press addressing a note
to the late j.u4olge Tyrrell with reference to the insufficient
accommod n, that gentleman most courteously invited
the reporter of the Western 'Wonting MeW.l and the
present writer, to take seats on the Bench by his side.
The late Mr. Tyrrell will by no one be accused of any-
thing but the firmest confidence in his ownjudgments,
and the greatest promptitude and decision in giving
them, yet never, that we are aware of, was there any-
thing like an approach, in Mr. Tyrrell's judgeship, to
the unhappy state of things which now exists between
Mr. Lefroy and the Press. For Mr. Lcfroy in his
dealings with the writer jiersonally, we have nothing
but good to record; his briskness and decision, his de-
testation of verbiage, and snubbing of wearisome
technicalities, were ever grateful to men of business,
who could not afford to lose valuable time for the sake
of everybody who wanted to "say a few words.- Mr.
Lefroy, furthermore, has always shown the clearest
common-sense in assisting and advising settlements,
in order to prevent waste of money and time and
further bitterness of feeling. These considerations
have weighed with us up till now, and prevented our
joining with great part of the Fourth 'Estate in the
quarrel with the judge. But neither personal respect
foe a gentleman nor for his office shall prevent us re-
minding Mr. Lefroy that the freedom of the Press in
Britain is one of the corner-stones of liberty, and
that impatience of criticism, whether shown by a
policeman, • Small Debt.. court judge, the Premier,
or even by the Sovereign, only tends to lower the
impatient one, and his office also, in public respect.
That Mr. Lefroy should revenge the criticisms of an
Editor upon one of his assistants—that a gentleman,
who should be dignified as a judge, should not only
strive to put down criticism, but exercise in a public
building a power accidentally and temporarily held by
him, to prevent the public being informed of what
takes place under his direction, must be a cause of
and most of all to the friends of the Judge.
business at the Small Debts Court is generally of
inch insignificant interest that the loss to the news.
Is= would be little or nothing if they unanimously
to take any notice of it ; but it is for the public
service that the rules and rractice of these Courts
should be open to the light of day and to that dis-
section by public criticism which cannot in a free
country be withheld from the highest in the land.
We have received the following from Bridport :
EXPULSION OF A
,lI.F.PORTER FROM THE