A bid to censure Niue's Chief Justice Patrick Savage for comments he made during the sentencing of a youth charged with arson has been blocked in the Legislative Assembly.
An MP Togia Sioneholo, who's a lawyer and a former Secretary of Justice, took exception to the Judge's comments when he called the feuding residents and families of the village of Hikutavake shameless, nasty and unchristian.
Mr Sioneholo claimed the Judge had no authority to criticise the village residents but he got no support from the Assembly.
The Judge's comments followed a series of violent incidents which started after the last general election and resulted in three properties being destroyed by fire.
One youth has been jailed for arson and another for firearm offences.
