LOCAL COURTS BILL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4112, 25 September 1884, Page 4

LOCAL COURTS BILL.

Tho Local Courts Bill, introduced by Mr Stout, has for its object tho abolishing of District and Resident Magistrates' Courts and to provide Local Courts in lieu thereof. The Act to come into force on the Ist March, 1885. Such courts, shall, as to matter over which they are given jurisdiction, have all such powers of courts of law anel equity as arc or may be possessed by the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Tho persons to preside over such courts shall be called stipendiary magistrates. Such magistrates shall not practise as barristers or solicitors, but no person so appointed shall have an extended jurisdiction unless ho is a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court. Each stipendiary magistrate, by virtue of Ins Office, shall exercise only the ordinary jurisdiction hereinafter provided for, unless appointed to exercise tho extended jurisdiction of the court: have all such powers, unless otherwise provided, as now arc or hereafter may be exorcised by two Justices of the Peace", anel bo a coroner for the colony. The Governor may appoint any stipendiary magistrate or stipendiary magistrates to have the power to exercise the°cxtcuded jurisdiction of the court, to have all the powers of a judge in bankruptcy ; to exercise the jurisdiction heretofore conferred upon District Courts in all_or any matters under the Mine.-* Act, 1877, the Mining Companies Act, 1872, and the several Acts amending the same. Deputy stipendiary magistrates may bo appointed iv cases of illness, death, kc A stipendiary magistrate may sue and be sued in any court but the ono over which ho presides. "The clerks of Resident Magistrates' Courts in office at the time of the commencement of this Act shall be the clerks ot the courts taking the place of such Resident Magistrates' Courts respectively as if their appointments had hcen maele under this Act. Tho clerk shall perform and exercise the following general duties and powers :—lssue all .summons, warrants, executions, anel other processes required to bo issued out of the court, and keep a register thereof, and of all returns thereto, mid of all orders and judgments and other proceedings of the court, receive and keep accounts of all moneys paid into or out of court. Tho present bailiffs and assistant bailiffs to be such for the new courts. Justices of the Peace to have jurisdiction up to £20. Extended powers arc given to the new courts.