THE KNIGHT AND THE MAGISTRATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 108, 20 August 1880, Page 2

THE KNIGHT AND THE MAGISTRATE.

Experience and observation tend to show tbat where tbe minds of even great men are taken up with a " fad " or a " bobby " there is a gradual and perceptible lowering of tbe intellectual tone, tbeir views steadily narrow, and their general usefulness is proportionately diminished. Sir "Wm. Fox is no exception to this rule. For years past he has been rising to the highest pinnacle of greatness to be attained as a temperance advocate, and by this time is a brilliant success in that capacity. Is he not P. G. W. M. K. Y. Z. of the Good Templars ? Does he not wear their regalia as a higher honor than the decoration of Saints Michael and George ? Can he not draw " tears " by a recital of anecdotes which are terrible enough to melt the heart of any matron of over seventy years? Yet, whilst Sir "William has been gradually ascending to this altitude of cold water greatness, there hai been a proportionate -diminution of his influence as a politician and statesman. Who ever hears him quoted now as an authority upon colonial politics, or pays any more respect to what he says than is demanded by his age and what he has leen. Perhaps this is the price of his devotion to the temperance cause, but if he carries his enthusiasm in that direction to such a degree as to warp his judgment, aud blind his sense of what is fair and just, it would be only wise of some one of the satellites who revolve around him in his watery hemisphere to suggest that the dignity of " the cause " would be increased by his resignation from the position he holds in Parliament. It seems a great pity that one who, like Sir William, might shine amongst the brightest names enrolled in tbe list of Good Templar martyrs should mar his usefulness and destroy his influence by such displays of petty, paltry, spite, as are occasionally seen in the Parliamentary career of tbe Knight of Westoe. Some months ago, Sir Wm. Fox made a bitter personal attack in one of his teetotal orations at Eangitikei upon the Resident Magistrate of this district, because that gentleman had, in his capacity as Chairman of the Licensing Bench, agreed to a license for a hotel at Awahuri, which license Sir Wm. Fox would most strongly have opposed in person, but for, as be stated, " the inconvenience of being compelled to be away from home a night at Foxton I" This celebrated speech was duly reported in the paper wbich acts as claqueur to Sir William, and at the time was freely commented on in tbis journal. We certainly thought that having unburdened himself to the select audience at Crofton which applauded to the echo his speech, Sir William would rest content. But no. Following the instincts of tbe animal which has given him his name, he tracks the prey which crosses his path, and with a persistency wbich characterises only the smallest of human minds, he never ceases the chase until he has either run to earth his victim, or has been himself well punished. We are only stating what is recogniseed on all hands that Manawatu and Rangitikei are fortunate in possessing a Magistrate who is hardworking, painstaking, and earnest in his duties. His district is about 79 miles in length, and he holds Courts in six different towns, besides which there are the Assessment Courts and many other incidental duties. The work is so large that four Clerks are engaged under him, whilst his salary as Magistrate is the immense sum of £850, with a travelling allowance of another £100 ! When it is remembered that about half his time is spent away from home, that he has to keep a horse to ride to the Bulls Court, that he has to provide a buggy for two or three days each quarter to attend the Otaki Court, it will be seen that £100 per annum will barely cover Mr Ward's travelling expenses, notwithstanding the fact that Government have given him a free pass on the railway. Subjoined we have given the discussion in the House when Mr Ward's salary was voted.and it will be seen that in each instance — both on the vote as Magistrate and the £50 as Native Officer — Sir William Fox made a desperate effort to have Mr Ward's salary reduced. Considering that the salaries referred to are to be reduced 10 per cent , thus bringing Mr Ward's total receipts for all his work down to £450 per annum, we can only characterise Sir William Fox's attempt to " reduce" the R.M., as a paltry display of vindictiveness for doing his duty as Chairman of the Licensing Bench, and as a sop to tbe journal whose proprietor was recently angered at the Magistrate for mulcting him in heavy costs in a losing action. We think that any one reading the report will agree with Mr Barron that there was more in Sir William Fox's opposition " than met the eye," and will admit that the Knight of Westoe's career furnishes fresh evidence that Dr. Hodgkinson was right when he said in 1.879 that the member then sitting but since rejected for Wanganui, was but a " sheer old hulk," compared with his former self. The following remarks were made by Sir William Fox when the item " Resident Magistrates and Wardena Courts, £48,216

4s" was being considered in Supply : — Sir W. Eox oalled attention to the excessive extent to which aids and assistants were allowed in this department. In his own distriot and the adjoining one, the Resident Magistrate had no fewer than four clerks, five bailiffs, an interpreter or two, and he did not know how many more officers, all receiving salaries for administering justice to a population of nine thousand souls. One clerk, or two, could surely do the whole of this work. Then it seemed that every Resident Magistrate had an army of constables attaohed to him. There were seven towns in the districts referred tc, and in every one of those towns there was a stout sv-'foot oonstaWe. With the railway running through those towns he was satis* fied that one constable would do for several, and he might also act as bailiff. He was sure that, if the honorable gentlemen would renew the powers of the Civil Service Commission, or appoint some other persons to go thoroughly into the question of the Resident Magistrates' Courts and their surroundings,they would be able to effect a very large retrenchment, and make them more efficient than they were now. lie observed ~_n increase in the salary of the -Resident Magistrate in his district, whioh he thought | was unaccountable, because the district was infinitely more easy to work now that the railway ran through it. The hon. gentleman was not answered after delivering the above. Subsequently, when the Native Vote was under consideration, a dif-cussion took place upon the item " Native Officer, Marton, £50." We quote from Hansard . — Sir W. Fox drew attention to the fact that a sum of -.50 waß included in the estimates for this department for services rendered by the gentleman who performed the duties of Resident Magistrate in the ' Rangitikei-Marton District. He had already pointed out, in connection with the vote for another department, that this gentleman had no fewer than five bailiffs, four clerks, and eight policemen to assist him in the performance of his duties ; and he thought that, as he received £450 under another vote, there was no necessity to give bim this extra £50. Mr Bryce explained that this was one of the few additions he had made, and it was made for this reason : There was no Nat : ve officer in tbe district, and be had found it necessary to apply to this officer, who was a good Maori scholar, to do the work for him. Sir W. Fox said the gentleman had al. ways had to do that. He was a Native Interpreter and Clerk of the Court, and it was understood, when he became Resident Magistrate, that he should combine the duties of the two departments in the district. Mr Bryce did not think that that was the case. The gentleman referred to was not formerly an officer of the department at all, and £50 a year was not too much for doing the work he did for the department. If the Committee thought that tbe salary as a whole was too high, some reduction should be mado in the Justice part of it, for this £50 could not very well be reduced. Air Barron thought there must he more in this case than met tbe eye, forthe honorable member for Rangitikei had assisted to pass votes to tbe extent of thousands of pounds without saying a word, this A'so being evidently almost the first item that had attracted his attention. The honorable gentleman could not have taken more notice of this £50 if the recipient of it had been on tbe electoral roll, and had taken some interest in nn election on the opposite side to tbe honorable gentleman. Mr Bryce thought the fact that this gentleman required so many officers to assist him in the performance of his duties showed that he had a great deal of work to do. He certainly did possess the organ of order in a remarkable degree, or else he would not be able to get through so much work as he did get through. If the officer in question did his work fairly well in the various districts, he must be fully employed. He could not agree that tbe work was light. Mr Seddon thought this offi :er one of the most poorly paid. Men with far lighter duties received £650 a year. Mr Bowen presumed that the point the honorable member for Rangitikei wished to make was this : that the extension of the railway system should lessen tbe cost of administering justice in tbo minor Courts. He (Mr Bowen) believed that was a proper position to take up. Mr Hall hoped the Houae would accept the assurance of the Native Minister that this salary was required for Native work. If too much was paid under the Justice Department to this officer, the Minister of Justice would look into it.