The Administration of Justice.

Manawatu Herald, 13 April 1895, Page 2

The Administration of Justice.

Not so many months ago it pleased the Government to appoint certain persons to be Justices of the Peace in and for the Colony of New Zealand. The lists gazetted from time to time were not very favourably viewed and they instanced more haste than discretion in the selection of those made to fill such office. We are raising no question as to the appointments, they are made and so fardone with, but we do desire to raise the warning that one of the ' latest additions to the Bench, did, almost immediately after he was sworn in, that which the Act declares shall cause him to cease to be a Justice of the Peace. As far as the person referred to is concerned we raise no personal objections beyond the fact that what circumstances compelled him to do also compelled him to cease from acting as a J.P. The risks are however only partially his, a clause in the Act certainly gives power to any person injured' by any act done by a Justice in a matter which by law he has not jurisdiction, may maintain an action, against such Justice, but to those who have executed certain documents verified by his signature, such a course of redress would be far from satisfactory, and therefore the risks run by the public are both serious and important. It ia a fact that shortly after being sworn in as a Justice the holder of this office had to do one of the matters mentioned in clause 7 of " The Justices of the Peace Acl, 1882," part of which we quote : — " Every person who shall become bankrupt within the meaning of any law for the time being in force in the colony relating to bankrupts or who shall execute or enter into any deed of arrangement or composition or any other deed or document or submit to any process with or for the benefit of his creditors under any such law shall ipßo facto cease to be a Justice of the Peace." It would be well for this " Justice " to ponder the Act and seek advice, if he is not assured of our interpretation of it, before he places his fellow settlers in serious complications. It is likely if the matter was explained to the Government, a re-appointment might be made which would of course be with out challenge.