Magistrate and Farmers.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 17 August 1917, Page 5

Magistrate and Farmers.

Dissatisfaction Expressed, and Action to be Taken. At a meeting of the Balclutha branch of the Farmers' Union a couple of weeks ago (says the Free Press) the chairman (Mr John Christie) reported what, had occurred at the recent sitting of the As33ssment Court in Balclutha and said the Magistrate's attitude seemed to ba antagonistic to farmers. He wns rleased to see the way the Press had taken the matter up, and thought the Union should back the paper up. He was present at the sitting, although not as an objector, and was surprised to see the Magistrate's attitude. It was not the' Magistrate's place to ask a man to | plaee a value on-his property with the idea of selling to the Government. Further, the insinuation that there was no "sentimental value" attached to farms in a district like Clutha was an unjustifiablo assertion, and quite unwarranted, fha farmers should do : nornetbiniT to uphold their dignity in i this district.- He would move—"that this meeting of farmers being desirous of upholding the dignity of our Courts regret having to draw the attention of the Minister of Justice to the arbitrary and unjust way in wlvch Mr Anheson conducte 1 the proceedings at the sitting of the Assessment Court at Balclutha." The idea of the Magistrate seemed to te to force objectors to put a Stlii »g value on their farms or else to withdraw their objections.

Mr Robert Houliston saconded the motion.

Mr Skinner moved as an amendment that a petition 'O2 got i:p to the Mini=-t-i" of Justice to h.-ve the Magistrate removed fro<c this district.

Mr Thorp seconded the amendment, snd referred to the Magistrate s lemarks on a former occasion that farmers' wives and daughter? should be trapping rabbits. The letter on the subject from the Union to the Minister of Justice should have met with more recognition.

It was decided to adopt both resolu tions —sending forward the letter and a petition.