Justices of the Peace.

Manawatu Herald, 10 September 1898, Page 3

Justices of the Peace.

The appouomenta to the Commission of the Peace for the last few yeara have nor drawn forth many compliments, hut some of the hardest remarks were made in the House last month by Mr M. J. S. MaoKenzie. "Bat you go into the country districts," he said " and inquire who are appointed to hosts of small offices— appointed under the Stock Department, and as Valuers under the Advances to Settlers Act, and as Justices of the Peace, and so forth. As to the Justices of the Peace, the less we say about them the better. Formerly, when you ■wanted any formal work from a Justice, you used to ask merely, " Are you a Justice of the Peace r* Now you have to ask two questions — " Are you a Justice of the Peace ?" and ""When were you appointed ?" And, if the appointment is recent, you feel inclined to button up your pockets before you set to work. I know a Justice of the Peace who was appointed shortly after he had emerged from the Supreme Court with the narrowest escape possible for sheep-stealing. And he is there still. There was a Justice of the Peace the other day who was before the Court for refusing to support his mother: There was one mentioned in the House the other day who could not read or write ; and there was one who was found to be qnartered upon the Charitable aid of the colony, and so forth. They are all, of course, Government sup porters."