The Evening Star TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2810, 20 February 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1872.

“ I have applied to the Provincial “ Government to remedy these annoy- “ ances, and I have applied from time “ to time to the Corporation, but they “ have done nothing to have them “ remedied. It is merely a choice be- “ tween being stifled and not hearing. “ Having done all that I can, it is for “ you, gentlemen, now to take the “ matter up.” So said his Worship, the Resident Magistrate, yesterday, in explanation to the bar, when one of its members requested that the windows of the Court-house should be closed, as the din of passing waggons and carts rendered hearing impossible. His Worship has great reason to complain : the bar has great reason to complain : plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, have reason to complain:

reporters have reason to complain and the public have reason to complain If ingenuity had been purposely set to work to devise an unsuitable spot for a magistrates Court, aud an unsuitable building, success could not have been more complete. On the opposite side of the street is a row of warehouses, tenanted by some of the largest mercantile linns in the City; and, moreover, the road is a good level pull for horses, and saves a hill, so that there is a double motive why draymen should make it a chief road to the wharf. The consequence is, that every two or three minutes some heavily laden vehicle thunders past, with noise so loud chat the fullest voice is inaudible. Witnesses, as a rule, have a propensity to talk to themselves. Free from the solemn pressure that is upon them, they commonly can be heard well enough; but, iu a witness-box, most people feel on their good behaviour, and put on their company manners ; so that, with some bold exceptions, the voice of a virago is as soft as a girls. The slightest noise renders them inaudible. What drew from the Magistrate the remark we have quoted was the request of the Counsel who was endeavouring to enlighten his Worship on a knotty point of law, that the window might be shut ; as the noisy rolling of wheels nob only prevented his voice reaching the bench, but interrupted the current of his thoughts, and spoiled his argument, Supposing his request to have been complied with, the only barrier to the sound would have been a pane of glass; while every one present in Court, then well filled, would have had to endure the horrors of breathing air unfit for respiration. Or if, as suggested, the door opening into the inner passage had been opened, the draught would have been so great as to have endangered the healtli of those exposed to it. The Magistrate’s Court is another instance of the utter neglect with which architects have treated the subject of ventilation of public buildings. In it there are three doors and a chimney, so contrived, that when they are open on opposite sides, there is a rush of cold air through, sufficient to inflict rheumatism upon those exposed .to the current. If .the windows are opened, the cold air pours down upon the heads and persons of those below.with similar; effect. During the last winter, both magistrates and reporters, besides numbers of persons unknown—counsel,; witnesses, and listeuess—bud to.endure and suffer this, and summer is no exception to the infliction. It is almost hopeless to induce intelligent attention; to this vital subject, until some com-; petent architect contrives a plan of ventilation free from draughts—a not| very difficult problem to solve. All; our public buildings are unendurable; through this fault, and the occasional stnpid Attempts to remedy it, only serve to shew the ignorance of those who design them. Oi\e good example would shew by contrast what is receded, aud perhaps then something may be done to render the rest fit to sit iu. The llesident Magistrate says very truly that the business of the Court is retarded much by these annoyances : how to remedy them without removal of the Court, we do not yevy well see. It is, however, impossible that the pyil can go on much longer without some curative effort, and that would be the I only effectual one. The Court is inconvenient in many respects beside those we have mentioned, and not the least, that there is no room attached to it into which persons can withdraw*, if necessary for the purposes of justice. Many times, whe# witnesses are ordered out of Court, they have to huddle together under the alppye with Its open arches, exposed to wind, dust, or raip,, forbidden to converse or pace up and down, lest their talk or the sound of 1 their footsteps should interrupt the business of the Court. It is quite discomfort enough to have to attend a Court, without having added to it exposure to such annoyances, the account of which we have not exaggerated. trust the Bar will unite with the Magistrate, and that they will be so strongly supported • by public opinion, that the Magistrate's Court, in which some two thousand four or five hundred cases are heard during months, shall be made endurable, and ■ fitted for the important place it occupies amongst our public institutions.

out. Gunner Dobbie was elected a member of the committee, vice Gunner Batchelor. Sergeant Nightingale tendered his resignation, which Was accepted—a vote of thanks being recorded on the minutes for his scrvices—and Gunner -I. H. blayton, Artillery, appointed in his place. The meeting then adjourned to the 29th inst. More Mares’ Nests.—The Daily Times of this morning publishes a letter from a correspondent at Balclutha, signing hira-elf A. 8., in which he asks “why were instructions not telegraphed to the country offices, that the closing of the English mail was postponed until .Saturday evening,” ifcc. a .(1, without k' owing anything about it, comes to the apparently (to him) satisfactory conclusion that “ how not to do it is still the motto.” Now, for the information or A. 8., as well as our readers, some of whom may perchance see the Daily Times, we think it fair to say that we have ourselves seen a telegram sent from the Chief Post Office on Thursday last to the postmaster at Balclutha as well as sundry other postmasters, informing them that their mails sent to Dunedin on Saturday last would be in time to catch the Nevada.

Formation of Castle Street.— We understand that the Government has resolved to proceed with the formation of Castle street, from the Stuart street Jetty, as soon as the small lagoon in the reclaimed ground is filled rn by the prisoners working at Bell Hill. We believe, however, that the Government has not, as yet, finally decided on what breadth the street will be at present formed, but it is to bo Impel, that the full width will be fixed upon, and the unsightlv appearance avoided of a street, wide in some parts, and narrow in others, more especially as there is no reason why the permanent width should not be adhered to, as the work will be entirely done by prison labour. While in connection with this subject, w r o would make a suggestion which we feel assured will meet with general approbation, namely, that simu'taueously with the formation of Castle street, the swamps about Cumberland street, at the rear of the foundries, and between Castle street and the railroad, be filled in to the level of high water mark, and the culvert under Cumberland street, near the foundries, continued, so as to pass through the railway embankment. Anyone who has had the mi-fortune to visit that portion of the City, when the wind was blowing up the bay, will recognise the absolute necessity of this work, and the importance it assumes from a sanitary point •>f view. The swamps about Great King street, and the hospital, have now been filled in for some years, thanks to hfs Honor the Superintendent, and it is high time that the Cumberland street swamps were similarly dealt with. We are not awa’e of the existence of any obstacle which could prevent this most desirable object being carried into effect, the material for the culvert would, we feel confident, bo willingly supplied by the Corporation, and the prison labour is available for building it, and filling in the swamp with debris fr in Bell Hill, which can be brought to the required spot, by means of a tramway (similar to that in use on the reclaimed ground) from the bill, along the beach in front of the Supreme Courthouse and Gaol to the jetty. We feel assured the matter only requires to be brougjitmiuder the notice of the Government to be favorably dealt with ; and we would, therefore, suggest the advisability of a memorial from the inhabitants of that portion of th<j City, and in fact everyone who desires Dune'diu U) assume that high sanitary condition, for which it is hy nature so eminently suited.

•Tiie attention of Commanding officers is directed to a general order appearing in our advertising columns. Volunteers are also reminded that parade takes place to-morrow evening, when a good muster is requested, the inspection by the Inspector being near at baud.