The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 591, 19 August 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1878.

Thr attention of the public was a few days ago directed by -‘An unfortunate Witness” to the. great disadvantages this goldfield labours under in having no regular sitting of the District Court. With the views expressed by our correspondent we perfectly coincide, as the amount of expense and personal discomfort entailed on persons in this district who are compelled—often not for their own benefit, but to further the due administration of justice—to attend the District Court in rlokirika, is in many cases unpat alleled. The last sitting of this Court furnishes an instance, in which prosecutor, witnesses, and also many of the jury summoned were residents of this district, and who were necessitated to leave here at a

very early hour of the momiag to ensure their presence at the opening of the Court. The first case on the calendar tried found several of these gentlemen occupying the witness-box, after an eighteen-tnile journey, on a bitter cold day, fasting. The witnesses having

given their evidence and the jnty their verdict, both hurriedly leave the Court, to discover that the last coaches have left on their return trip, consequently the extra expense of a special conveyance has to be incurred, or the still more expensive item of a night in town. And for this loss of time, incurred for | the benefit of the community at large, j the unfortunate witness or jurj man re- ! ceives about as much remunevaliou as

would provide him with his supper and bed. This also raises to our mind ano-

ther question of far more serious import —Is it reasonable to suppose that a jury comprising men who have arrived at the last moment under the unfavorable circumstances previously mentioned, can or will calmly and dispassionately weigh the evidence brought

before them 1 These difficulties can be easily obviated by a District Court being held in Kumara, and, situated as this place is—the central town of a large goldfield, surrounded on all sides by smaller townships which are in

closer proximity to Kumara than Hoki-

tika—should in itself be sufficient ground on which to appeal to the Government on this subject Under the “ District Courts Act, 1858,” it is made lawful for the Governor, from time to time, by notification in the New Zealand Gazette, to fix the times and places within the district at which every District Court shall .be held. Possessed, as we are, of the necessary buildings should the District Court be held here, it would remain with His Honor the Judge to fix the days for the holding of such Court, as by the “ District Courts Act Amendment Act, 1865,” it is enacted that, as to the times of holding such Courts, it shall be sufficient for the Governor, if he shall so think fit, to fix the interval only within which such Courts shall be held at each place, and it shall in such case be lawful for the Judge of such Court to fix the particular times and days for the holding of such Courts, and from time to time to alter the same, provided that such time and day shall fall within the interval so .fixed by the Governor. It would be very easy to expatiate on the benefits we may fairly anticipate from a sitting of the Court being held here, more especially to the mining community. We trust that this matter will be taken up by the public, and, through our representatives in the House, be brought prominently before the Government, and we have no hesitation in saying that the result would be beneficial to the whole district.