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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 75, 29 June 1878, Page 2

As unfortunately there is but little good without an alloy, tho increase of population m Palmerston has brought with it an increase of crime. This fact has been unfortunately made too apparent of late, inasmuch as even since the last holding of the Court, two charges of a serious character have been remanded to Marton for hearing by the Besident Magistrate. On last Court-day, the | increase m the civil business was of ' I such magnitude that it became necessary either for Mr Ward to prolong theday's sitting until midnight, or adjourn at five o'clock until the following day. Of the two courses we consider the. latter the better, but there is another which is far more preferable to either, ahd that is, that the Besident Magistrate's Court should be holden weekly, instead of fortnightly, as at present. Were this suggestion acted upon it would obviatethenecessity of witnesses, police, and prisoners being sent to Marton m criminal cases ; and m civil matters it would prove an immense saving of time to litigants and witnesses. Under the present system, as we have stated, the list is so long that two days have to be devoted to its clearing, and as it is impossible to know <at ; what period of the sitting any particular case would be heard, a constant attendance from the opening to, the close of the Court is necessitated. It will be thus seen that by the course we propose, much saving of. time may be effected. But independently oi those. very cogent arguments j we* maintain that Palmerston has reached a stage of progression when not only the holdingof a weekly Court has become a necessity, but it should have a Besident Magistrate and a Clerk of the Court, who would be available at all times. With regard to the latter official, the greatest inoonvenience has been experienced from the fact of that officer being resident m Foxton, arid it is certainly somewhat an anomaly that an official whose services are so often required should reside at almost fche extremity of the county, instead of m the most central position. We believe Mr. Ward .sits m the Police Court at Marton as often as twice m the week, and unless the residents of that township are four times as litigious, and four times as criminal ih their actions, it does appear odd that numbering but half -the population of Palmerstoh, the people of Marton should have such frequent doses of justice dealt out to them. We have heard it rumored "that Mr. Ward r is more than likely to remove to Palmerston. We do hot know that there is any truth m report, but if there be, we trust the* Clerk of the Court will also make Palmerston his head-quarters ; if not, we think the time has arrived when the Besident Magistrate should be a little more amongst us, i and his judicial visits of more f re"quent occurrence. Palmerston can fairly claim to be the largest town, excepting Waiiganui, on the West Coast, and it is not too much, to ask that iij should at least be put upon a par with Marton.