The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1879.

Kumara Times, Issue 978, 18 November 1879, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1879.

The late lamented decease of the respected Warden and Resident Magistrate of this district brings forcibly under our notice the necessity that exists for the x-c-division of the various Wardens districts throughout Westland and the Grey Valley. As a mining centre, we have not the least hesitation in affirming that Kumara should be the place ol residence of the Warden of this district, and that the adoption of this course by the Government would not only tend to give the Warden increased facilities for becoming personally acquainted with the workings ot ground on which he would often have to adjudicate, hut also considerably lighten the arduous duties the Wardens generally on this Coast are now expected to perform. At the present time, the Warden of the Hokitika district, Dr Giles, in addition to his duties of Resident Magistrate, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Coroner, &c ; , in his offi. cial capacity as Warden, holds Courts at Ross, Kaneri, Stafford, and Goldsborough. Similarly, the Warden of the Grey Valley, irrespective of his office as Resident Magistrate of Greymouth, has no less than half-a-duzeu other localities to attend to, viz., Kumara, Ahaura, Greenstone, No Town, Maori Gully, and Maori Creek. When it is borne in mind that the places named are a considerable distance from one another, and that the postponement of the Court, not only causes great inconvenience and expense to those having business thereat, but also interferes with the official routine of the Wardens multifarious duties, it naturally follows that travelling lias to be undertaken despite all weather by those engaged in carrying out the. majesty of the law. Wardens, however, unfortunately like all ordinary mortals, are not endowed with cast-iron constitutions, and the lucessants physical exertion—irrespective of judicial duties—to which they arc subjected in attending zealously to the large districts under their charge, leads eventually to their retirement from the Government service through bodily ill health, or otherwise, as in the case of our late lamented Warden, they die at their post. The .appointment of a Warden and Resident Magistrate in tliis town and the including of the Greenstone, Goldsborough, and Stafford in one district as the Kumara Warden’s district, would relieve the Grey month Warden of the two former places named, and the Hokitika one of the two latter. Wo commend tills suggestion to the attention of (lie, residents ot this and the adjoining localities, in the hope that public steps will be taken to bring the matter under the notice of the wo \ e 1 11 nien t before the pci unment appointment of a Warden fortius and the v-itcv Valley district is gazetted.