THE CLERK OF THE BENCH.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 39, 1 November 1882, Page 2

THE CLERK OF THE BENCH.

' A dumber of the business people of tlie Borough have drawn up a requisition to his Worship the Mayor, asking him to call a public meeting for the purpose of considering the removal of the Clerk of Bench from Feilding. The Mayor has acceded to this most reasoiiable request, and it will be a subject of regret to the meeting that his continued ill-health will prevent his presiding over it. It will be a very simple matter for the meeting to pass resolutions, strongly condemning the Minister of Justice, or whoever is responsible, for the slight passed upon Feilding. It appears to us such an utterly unwarranted proceeding that we can scarce!)' find words to express our astonishment and disgust at anyone placed in authority exercising power in such an arbitrary manner. If any person, who, from his position was able to give an opinion, had been consulted as to whether the services of a resident Clerk of the Bench could be dispensed with, we would admit that the Minister would have had some excuse. But when we know that such a line of conduct was carefully avoided, and that Mr Haultain alone has been the moving spirit in having Feilding partially deprived of his services, we can only wonder what the Civil Service is coming to, when a subordinate officer is taken so far into the confidence of a Minister, and when a Minister is so weak as to act on advice from such a source. We hope that a free expression of opinion on this phase of the subject will be given by the meeting. At the same time it will be advisable to approach the Minister with all humility and according to rule, for any expression of independence would most likely be met with a not orer-polite rejoinder.