The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, November 3, 1910. NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Some strong comments were passed on our judicial system as relating to magistrates by Mr H. W. Northcroft, S.M., at Auckland last Monday, when a presentation was made to him on his retirement from the magisterial bench. “Our magistrates are not independent,” said Mr Northcroft. “ They are subject too much to political interference.” He went on to say that this constituted a grave danger to the fairness and impartiality with which a magistrate ought to carry out his work. “ Magistrates,” he continued, “had industrial and other disputes brought before them outside their usual judicial work, and a constant endeavour was made from influential sources to bring them under the whip.” In concluding, Mr Northcroft said it was the duty of citizens in this young Dominion while there was yet time to move in the matter of making magistrates as independent as Supreme Court Judges.” Possibly Mr Northcroft speaks from personal experience. Is so, it is evidence of his own weakness. We refuse to believe that our magistrates as a whole would tolerate political intimidation.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 913, 3 November 1910, Page 2
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184The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, November 3, 1910. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 913, 3 November 1910, Page 2
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