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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 90, 9 March 1864, Page 6

The Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court commenced yesterday; and His Honor, in delivering his charge to the Grand Jury, strongly commented upon the great \?ant of legal knowledge possessed by some gentlemen filling magisterial positions. We must confess that we heartily and thoroughly coincide with the remarks of his honor, particularly when we take luto consideration the two cases of Joachim Lopez and John Burke. The first was charged with an offence not known or recognised by the law of England—viz., the uttering of a valueless cheque, upon which charge he is committed for trial by the Warden and Resident Magistrate of Queenstown. The prisoner and a number of witnesses are sent to Dunedin at the expense of the Government—the one to be told by the judge that there is no charge against him ; the others to be informed that their evidence is not required. The case of Burke is a parallel one to the foregoing, and presents another specimen of magisterial incapacity. He is committed bv the Resident Magistrate at the Shotover for perjury; is incarcerated for a lengthened period ; is ultimately brought up to be told by the Judge that the Crown declines proceeding further in the case: and he has the sore satisfaction of trudging his weary way to the Shotover, perhaps without one penny in his pocket. We do trust, however, that when his Honor the Superintendent carries out tbe promise he made at Queenstown, of appointing an additional magistrate for that place, that he will bear in mind the words of Judge Richmond—that " magistrates should at least have a knowledge of the rudiments of the lawand we might go further, and suggest that the appointment of a legal gentleman to such office would, in the end, be cheaper and more beneficial to the province.—Daily News, 2nd March. By proclamation in the Provincial Government Gazette dated 26th February, the Province of Southland is proclaimed an infected district, for the purpose of carrying out the regulations of the Diseased Cattle Act. By a notice in the Provincial Government Gazette, dated the 24th February last, it is intimated that business with the Land Department must in future be transacted by personal attendance, or by au agent, as the increase of business in the office renders it impossible to reply to written communications, except in special cases.