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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 9

Sir, —My attent.ioE was drawn this evening to a lotteir published in vour correspondence column, under tho above beading, on the 2l6ts in which tho writer protests against tho decision in a recent court case here, given by Mr. 11. W. Short and mvself as) Justices, 0.11 the ground that fcoth of sis wiirc interested persons, and that 1 was biased, by reason of other happenings. It is not my intention to review th.o ease, tho broad features of which wen> reported in tho local and city papers. .But I crave qiaoe to show that your correspondent did not know anything about either tho cases or the matters which ho qvuotcs as reasons for his condemnation of cur decision. Lot m© say: 1. That neither Mr. Short nor myself arc, as stated, members uf the I'etone Council.

2. That I did not, as staled, movo a resolution in the Pot-one recreation ground, condemning the apathy of tho Government in connection witft the present labour dispute. 3. That I am not, as stated, the channel through whic'fi I'etone csontribufcions to tho suibring women and children in Wellington are being forwnrded.Even assuming that I was so acting, 1 fail to seo anything in such action that would entitle your correspondent to lay tt chargo of bias in the execution or my duty as a Justice of tlio Peace.

As a matter of fact, money is forwarded to me from Wellington towards tfie relief of women and children in I'etone and Unit. Ono w-orcl for our police sergeant. But for the untimely death of Dr. ji'Arthur, 1 and the consequent pressure 011 tlio other magistrates, last Wednesday's Court would not have been peiforeo held beforo Justices of tho Peace, but of tl»ie 1 am certain, that 110 mattei who presided 110 other judgment on the caso in question could have been given. If your correspondent is still convinced that a Diisearri.ngo of justice has eventuated, , he kas fcis reuscdj,. in -tlio pasc.

to the Minister of Justice, but if, as I suspect, lio knows no more about the cus« than I have shown lie knows tboiit tho other things ho writes about, ho will go slow.—l am, etc., JOSEPH Pll'Ell, J.I/. l'etone, Nove.nbor 22. |