BURDEN OF WORK ON J.P.'S

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 22, 10 February 1937, Page 4

BURDEN OF WORK ON J.P.'S

Problem is That Many Are Not Centrally Situated R0TATI0N 0F DUTIES Inquiries made yesterday concerning the suggestion made in the article in the Herald-Tribune on Monday that the work falling to justices of the peace in Hastings could be lightened by conferring on Government departmental heads the authority to witnese signatures revealed that the Postmaster, Public Trustee and Clerk of the Court already possesf the authority bq far as statutory declaratjons are concerned. The Postmaster is usually possessed of the authority, though such is not the case in Hastings, it being considere.d unnecessary as there has been little demand in the past for his aerviees in this respect. Power, however, was vested in the Public Trustee by reason of hiB being a member of the Bar. As regarde the Clerk of the Cour.t, ft was only a few months ago that authority wa* given him, and then only by reason of his havjng been appointed. Kegistrar of the Courf Beview. While it was agreed that there might w©ll be some revision of the list of justices, it was felt in most instanices that there were sufficient appointed. 15 being considered quite enough for a town of the size of Hastings. It is understood that actually there are close of 20 justices of the peace jn Hastings and several othiers' jn the surrounding districts, notably at Havelock and haumoana. That there might well be more justices centrally situated * was readily agreed upon, it being recognised that * great deal of jbhe work invplved did falf upon on© or two justices. In this regard it WaB suggested that perhaps ihe Justice Department could oircularise the various business houses and solicitors' offices ♦ supplying ft list of the justices of the peace appointed in the district with their addresses and telephone numbers and "suggesting that* when the services of a J.P. wer© required, the calls should be made in rotation. Court officials queetioned .ihe state - ment made by one that he had "spent as much as 25 hours in Court work in one, week," it being contende.d that in no case had even half this period been eerved by any justice in Hastings. "That is quite right. It waa not 1* that 1 put in the best part of a week in Court work," said our informant when the objeetion was referred to him. "It -happened a few, years ago befor© £ came to Hastings, and I spent three full days in Court and then had' a long inqueet. As a matter of fact, I have not the slight«st objeetion to doing Coutt work, for there is surprisingly little to be done here considering the size of the town. £ was not voicing any complaint in this direction j it was the heavy calls made on my time as regarded tho attestation.of signatures that I particularly referred to." In the course of Monday 's intsrviews with the justices of the peace# iu no instance was any. complaint lodged that Court work was too heavy in Hastings, though one or , two of those interviewed did mention that they preferred, for striotly private roasons, not to preside 'at sittiugs of the Court. They realised, however, that it was part of their duty and did it without any kesitation