BURDENSOME JOB

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 20, 8 February 1937, Page 6

BURDENSOME JOB

J.P.'s Complain of Pressurc of Work TAKES TOO MUCH TIME 'The need for some chabge in the allocation of the work that falls to thi lot of those public-lspiriteri men justices of the peace was mentioned to a "JJefald'Tribune" representative this morning by several jfistices, All were of th© opinion that there were not enough J.P.'s and tbat too much was asked of those that wero appointed. With the mulfitude of ioxm requiriog dec.aratious befoxe a justice of the pcnce, one jaerice declared this morning, he was very seriously eonsiderfng handing in his rosignation, Situated in the vicinity of the Post Office, he found himself so occupied with the witnessing of signatures that his business was being seriously affected through lack of attention, "You can see what it is like yourself," he said to the reporter when commenting upon the fact that the interviewer had to wait in a queue of seven. "I have been open this morning less than two hours and I auppqse I have had at least 20 callers so far. 1 am expecting a ,big batch of papers in later on that will take me fufiv 20 minutes to fix up. "Yes, it's like this on at least four days of the week," he added In repiy to tbe reporter. "Tbank heaven ther© was no Oourt this morning, or I would probably bave bad to go over there too. Hpwever, Court work is com> paratively ligbt and is not a great deaJ of trouble. Sometimes, however, there is a big rusb, and I bave spent as much ws 25 bours in one week at the Court,''' Another J.P. said that tbere seemted to be an endless number of documeuts that required attention, the number in* creating every year. "Recently .th# pension work was considerably increased, and it was beavy enough before," be taid. "Then cam© the application# under ihe Moxtgagors and Lesseee Relief Act, and last month tbe forms just floeked in for signature. Tbe unom* ployment forms are another series of papers that require attestation, aud they take up a good deal of my time" Thore were a spore of otber papers, be said, and be bad satisfied himself tbat be gave at least otte and a-half bours of bis time eacb day to public scrviee in this direction alone. "ThCr# rbould be more justices appointod to cope witb tbe vfork," he said. "They sboula l»e men who are centrally eituated, too. It is no good appointiug men wbo are iiot easily found, or who spend most of their time out of the business area. " Further inquiries made by the reporter revealed tbat tbere were approximately 15 justices of tbe peace. in Hastings. Several of tbese were quite ignorant of Court procedure and bad .been appointed in country distrlCts many years ago and since moved to Hastings. As far as Court work was concerned tbe services of only tbree; or four were called upon, tbe majority of tbe remainder not being easily accpssibie. . . . A suggestion tbat ' would seem to meet tbe position that bas arisen, is tbat senior Government officials, sueh as the Postmaster, tbe Stationffiaster, Clerk of tbe Court, tbe Public Trustee and other departmental officers, should be empowered to deal witb tbe witnessing of signatures. "When all is said and done tho. gretater part of tbe work is done on behalf of the Governffient departments," said the proponent of this suggestion, "and all the officials are easy to get at. Tbere could be B mutual exchange of paperts; for example, postal documents could go to tbe Stationmaster,, or tbe Court, and generally tbe work tbat is now piled on to just one or two justices, because tbey are so centrally situated, could be greatly reduced. "Tbe only alternative, as far as 1 can see, would be for more justices to be appointed," be added, "And that s is not really as easy as it sounds, for tbere are nQt many business men who are prepared to allow tbeir names to •go forward. A good many of tbem I know are averse to Court work. They would not mind tbe attestation of signatures so mucb, ,but bave a decided objection to attending to tbe Court. I bnow of quite a number of men who &re this way inclined. 99