ALLEGED POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 969, 9 November 1910, Page 6

ALLEGED POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.

s STATEMENT BY MR, NORTHCROFT. b - j Regarding the statement reported to \ be made recently by Mr. H. AV. North- . croft, ' ex-Stipendiary Magistrate in i Auckland, that political influence was > used on the magistrates of tho Do- ' minion, the Hon. gr. Findlay has received the following letter, dated November 6: — "I have been out of town siuco. October 31, and off tho beaten track, and only now have access to all tho newspapers, therefore was not in a position to correct the reports. I was not correctly reported. Tho following is what I did say:— \ I _ know how proud every British subject is of tho high traditions of your Judicial Bench: the sacred independence of its Judges. But, : . . I hope you will pardon my saying your Magistrates who preside over tho people's courts are not independent : they are subject to political influence and interference, and as time joes on there are signs of its becoming more pronounced.. Your Magistrates have year by year more work cast upon them-. Industrial disputes and other work, where they have to decide between Capital and Labour. I say.... it is to our interest and a duty we owe. to posterity, to be watchful, and make our Magistrates as independent as our Judges of the Supreme Court while there is yet time. I have felt it my duty to sound this note of warning while there is time, that the future may be able to uphold the grand traditions of the past. . : I further wish to confirm your statethat, as far as you and tho Hon. J. M'Gowan are concerned, I have not known of any interference with Magistrates, ily remarks were not directed against any particular Government. The practice has prevailed ever since I joined tho Justice Department thirtytwo years ago; at times more or less pronounced. The very fact of persons writing to you about their cases shows, I suggest, that some people think they can bring influence to bear on Magistrates through Ministers. Of course, since you have been Minister of Justice such interference has not been possible. I > have written this in justice to you and the Hon. J. M'Gowan, for publication or otherwiso, as you think fit."