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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 863, 10 November 1870, Page 3

The monthly inspection parade of the Volunteer Artillery took place yesterday afternoon. There was a very fair muster. We understand that the next monthly inspection parade of the Napier Bifle Volunteer's will take place on Wednesday evening next. Resident Magistrate's Court.— This morning, John Boyle was fined 5s for drunkenness. — Angus McKay was cjiai'ged with a breach of the prison regulations, in having spoken to the prisoners in the street without permission. He stated that he was a stranger in Hawke's Bay, ana not observing that they were a prison gang, had asked! them the rate of wages in Napier.— Case dismissed. Country J P.'s.—ln his charge to the Grand Jury on Tuesday last, his Honor Mr Justice Johnson called attention to the culpable neglect displayed by some of the country Justices in the manner in whicli they prepared the depositions. In two cases, through the neglect of the simple forms necessary on such occasions, the depositions were so much waste paper; so that if a material witness were to die or become unable to travel before the hearing in the Supreme Court, a failure of justice must inevitably ensue. It was too bad, that gentlemen holding the high and responsible office of Justices of the Peace did not provide themselves with the necessary means for the due discharge of their duties. This matter was assuming a very serious aspect, Some day, perhaps,

popular indignation would be exciied by the consequences of such neglect, and tho.se gentleman would find themselves suffering from deserved reproach. He hoped this kind of thing would not occur again, or he should have to exercise the summary powers at his disposal, and make a signal example of the careless magistrates and clerk?. Only a few days since he had read in an English paper of a case in which a Judge, finding certain depositions so badly wt itten as to be almost illegible, fined the clerk who had written them either ,£25 or £SO. He believed some of the Justices trusted to certain public departments to supply them with forms and instructions. They had no right to do this j it was their duty to provide themselves with the necessary means of instruction, and it was impossible for them to act without the proper forms at hand. If they were not prepared to perform their duties in a proper manner, they should not hare accepted the offices they held.