COURT RETURNS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5231, 25 January 1928, Page 2

COURT RETURNS.

FIGURES FOR PAEROA DISTRICT. DECREASE ON 1926 NUMBERS. Civil and Magistrate’s Court business transacted at thq Paeroa Courthouse during 1927 shows a general decrease om the records for 1926. The following information has been obtained from Court rejoords for the year ended December 31,. 1927, together with figures for the year 1926, which' are shown in parentheses : — The numbejr of. sittings of the Magistrate’s Court held and presided over by a magistrate was 12 (12), while local. Justices of the Peace occupied the Bench on 51 (39) i ccasidns. The total, n’umber of sittings was 63 (51). The; amount ( si:ed for totalled £3561 8s 2d (£3606 2s 2d) ; the number of plaints, entered was 211 (280) ; numbe/r of distress warrants issued, 17 (7) ; judgment summonses issued, 70 (73) ; warrants of committal 10 (11) 1 summonses, etc., issued by bailiff 327 (371). The amount of civil fees paid in stamps was £240 10s (£298 14S 6d) ; criminal fe.es paid in stamps, £2B Ils (£2B) ; fines paid in stamps, £l’l6 17s (£162 17s 6d) ; licensing fees paid in stamps, £24 15s (£3l 7s).

The number of criminal cases were: Males, 159 (141) ; females, 6 (3). In the civil transaction-194 (229) Europeans Were sued for debts totalling £3115 19s 5d (£3355 Ils 2d). Tlie amount claimed in cases tried was £3296 Is Id (£2790 2s 3d). The total amount recovered through the Court was £2637 2s 3d (£2336 3(s 2d). WARDEN’S COURT. There has been a general falling off in all. classes of mining transactions during the past few years, but last year compared favourably with the previous year. The complete figures fw 1926 are not available.

During 1927 the miners’ rights Issued totalled. 36, and the miscellaneous applicatoins 57, of which 51 were granted. The Warden’s Court sat at Paeroa on 12 occasions during last year, and the total fees pajd in stamps amounted to £9 19s.