BUSINESS OF THE R. M. COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 4151, 16 June 1876, Page 2

BUSINESS OF THE R. M. COURT.

Before the commencement of business in the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning Mr Lewis drew the attention of Mr J. Bathgate, R.M., to the inconvenience and expense caused to suitors through the irregularity in the service of summonses. .Days were fixed for the hearing of cases, but on counsel and plaintiff appearing it was often found that the summons had not been served, and the annoying part of the affair was-that it was a rule of the Court that no information is to be given by officers of the Court concerning a case until the morning on which it was to be heard. He cast no slur upon the Court officials, as *here was no doubt they were very efficient; but the staff was insufficient to carry on the work of the Court.

Hl* WeilSpt laid hj« fM Ault* AWAT6 of * the meQHVtehkfaQe occasioned lo members of the legal profession and the pnhliO ftfid knew there • were good grounds for the complaint. In order to obviate the annoyance he had received authority to e»* ploy an additional bailiff during the press of work, and this alleviated it to some extent.; but the extra official hadnew notice his services would be nolonger required;' The whole state of affaira v woulffbe investigated and a report romished toMfl) Min (Bm of Justice, and in tho, s meantime he (his Worship) would thank of; sh£ , bar, or of the public, wh<jf might sttffeV from delay or irregularity to make a Cote* plaint to the Court in Writing. He was anxious to ascertain for a certainty if the present staff was insufficient, or if, on the other baud, there WftS IneffieiCßfly. The chief.bailiff-had - just Landedhim a-jetum. showThc that during the "past four months one bailiff had served SJSB sumfidoilfiSS ia town and 47 in the country; the other bailiff 2" and 5. The time of the last-named was greatly taken Up by attending the Court, but'still he had executed several distress wafrants, no less than 138 of which had been issued during the four months, and these accounted for the rest of his time. The work was undoubtedly ...very heavy, with a tendency to increase, and a full inquiry most be instituted. ■ i Mr Stewart'Said amongst the profession there existed, a very general feeling that there was great delay in- the matter m executions especially, the consequence : being that the benefit of a judgment obtained wasoften lost. This was not owing to want of efficiency ur*the Court officials, but to their small number—when there used to be less work there was. a larger staff. Very radical reform was, necessary in both jbhe office 1 and the bailiffs’-department, and also in the Wray of: increased accommodationthere was scarcely room to turn round in the office. The professsmn would strongly support his Worship in ahy action be took to improve matters. . His WobShit said he know few a fact that the work was ap great that the officials did a great deal of it after they had L gone, home; a thing not expected by the. public! He hoped the Court and its offices would shortly have more space at their disposal, as something .was being done now iu the matteri On-the Ist of Jury- the Court fees would be. payable ui stamps, so thatthe clerks 1 time would be saved to a great extent. Finally; his Worship said lie determined td conduct the bnsiness of the Court according to the spirit of :the Act— that is, with econbray-