AN OPINION ON DISTRICT COURTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1385, 8 January 1873, Page 2

AN OPINION ON DISTRICT COURTS.

It would seem from the following, taken from the Otago Daily Times, that the system of holding District Courts in various towns of Otago, does not find favor, But as the writer deals only in generalities, and curiously enough avoids any allusion to the statistics preseuted by the courts of Timarn, Oamaru, Waikouaiti, and Invercargill, the article must be taken with considerable reservation : — The country has now been for a long time patiently awaiting the moment when the farce of the District Court Judgeships should be confessedly played out, and some other field discovered for the abilities of the present holder. We have not one word to say against Judsce Ward —indeed, we believe all must recognise in him an able and impartial official. But in his interests, as well as in those of the country, it would be . well not to let the present sinecure which he (holds continue any longer. He would -indeed be the first to wish for a little more work. To travel from one end of the Province to another, often in the worst weather and over the most dangerous roads, in order to keep engagements which prove, when he reaches his destination, to consist of an i interchange of empty compliments between the bar and the bench, is surely an unworthy use to make of so distinguished a legal luminary. Thereissomething degrading in finding ability and experience like his devoted to travelling alone, to work which any teamster could do just as well. The complaint indeed which we have to make is in many ways a singular one, viz., that in New Zealand there is not enough for many of our Judges to do. In most parts of the Anglicised world the outcry comes from an opposite direction, and we are for ever told that the Judges are overworked. It is very far from our wish to desire an increase in crime sufficient to keep all our Judges busy, and we may congratulate ourselves on the fact that notwithstanding; the enormous area over which Judge Ward's labors extend, there is not sufficient crime to occupy the attention of oita Judge; Long may the rural districts remain in the same state of pastoral innocence. But we fail to see that the faot of such a Court as we have named being periodically held in their midst can have any effect in danir ming up the tide of crime, or exercise any

deterrent influence upon the criminal community. On the other hand, to summon a few dozen jurors quarter after quarter from their homes, and then to send them civily back again without even giving them the satisfaction of exercising their rights as jurymen, and trying someone, must be at least very trying to the victims themselves. To speak plainly, the present ridiculous farce is an interruption to industry which cannot be much longer endured. Either more criminals must be found for J udge Ward to try, or his repeated visits . must cease. At any rate, the unfortunate jurors should not be harassed by continual demands to leave their work and homes, aud go often i considerable distances with an almost certainty of finding that their labors have proved fruitless. It seems as if the organisations we have provided for repressing and punishing crime, had gone too far in advance of the real requirements of the population, and that, as a natural consequence, a waste of time and material is taking place which the financial condition of the country by no means warrants. In another score of years, or even in another decade, it will be time enough to introduce District Courts throughout Otago. Until then, a very slight extension of the powers of the various Resident Magistrates will satisfy all legitimate needs. The idea under which the new Courts were organised, was undoubtedly that they would relieve the Supreme Court of some of its business ; that they would perform much of the work hitherto undertaken by the Resident Magistrates ; and that only such business would be left a3 might easily be undertaken by the honorary Justices of the Peace. Experience lias, howeevr, shown that the public are perfectly contented with the decisions meted, out to them in tlie Magistrate's Court, and that they have no desire for a more cumbersome and expensive method of procedure.