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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 7, 16 November 1878, Page 2

Wb bare repeatedly referred to the gross injustice and absurdity of remanding prisoners to Marton ior trial before the Resident Magistrate. We are loth to say oue word wbieh may appear to reflect m the slightest upon Mr Ward, to whose zealous impartial discharge of his duties we bear most willing evidence; but the matter to which we have referred is of such >a nature that we feel call**- Jfor redress, and as a consequence, silence on our part would be criminal. We hold that Palmerston has now reached a position, second only to Wanganui on the West Coast, and, we ask, is it not preposterous that while Marton has its Court sittings twice a week, if no* more often, Palmerston, with, double its population, should rest satisfied with a dose of justice administered every second, and sometimes every third week. . This is bad enough m all conscience as far as the civil cases are concerned, but when m addition to this' it is sought to drag prisoners, police, .prosecutor and witnesses into another County, we think it is about time a remedy was applied, and an alteration made m the arrangements. We think it will not for one moment be denied that Palmerston— beside its importance ■m point of population and otherwisesis the very centre of Mr Wabd's circuit, and were it to ask that he should be permanently located there, the demand would be by no means preposterous. Withjn the last two months two cases have cro*pped up, reference to which will show the gross injustice perpetrated by the course pursued. In the first, a woman, named Claba Maston, was charged with larceny of a cheque, and it being a case over whioh a J .P. ;had no jurisdiction, it was sent on to Marton, for hearing before Mr Wabd. In the first place her means would not allow her to pay the expenses of a number of witnesses whoso evidence she considered o£ value ; m tbe. second, she could not engage counsel with the:, increased'- charge and mileage? _ while, thirdly i when committed for trial, she was deprived of the onjportnnity of finding bail. Then, again, m the recent still ease, the very same thing took Elacei The accused, although it was nt a, few days from the sitting of the CoUrt, were despatched to Marton, and taxed with the extra expense of legal fee., while difficulties were thrown m their way both m the matter of producing evidence and finding baiL This, we say; is a monstrous proceeding, ah injustice to prisoners, witnesses, bar aiid 7>ublic, and should at once be remedied. Either Mr Wabd's , cireuijr is too large or it is not, and if prisouers are to be forwarded put of the County for trial, why not send them to "Stf anganui at once;ySay a criminal, ease/occurs, at which a number Of witnesses are exn_aid.*'X ti the charge is heard m t. he

locality, witnesses m most cases can give evidence and lose but half a day, wherein by making Marton the Court town the time is taken up from daylight to dark. We believe the cliief reason alleged for sending cases to Marton is that the magistrate cannot afford the drain upon him incurred by this extra travelling, but surely it would be a vast saving to the country to allow him expenses rather than incur five times the- amount for constable, witnesses, &c. In the Estimates for 1879, we notice that the sum set down as travelling allowance for Mr Wabd is £100. We cannot presume to say whether that amount is above or below the mark, but we can safely say that a tery small proportion of it — say one-tenth — is spent at Palmerston. If the £100 a year be found inadequate to defray his expenses, the matter could be very easily obviated by granting him a free pass upon the line; and indeed if that course were adopted, the end would m a great measure be met, and the greatest item of expenditure done away with. Either of two things will have to be done — a magistrate will have to be appointed for the Manawatu who will permanently reside m the most central town m the County, or Mr Wabd will have to pay i the same attention to the civil cases m this portion of his circuit that he does to Marton. We are by no means making these remarks m a carping spirit, or with a desire to lose the services of the present visiting magistrate. We- have always held, and do hold him m the highest estimation, as an impartial, painstaking Justice, whose judg- • ments are the result of mature deliberation dictated by conscientiousness and a desire to deal out the law with a sub- ' serviency to equity. Bu*- it is because we see so little of Mr Wabd, that we complain. A change will have to be made m some direction, and we would ■ much desire that it should be made by Mr Wabd. himself, rather than emanate ifcom the Minister of Justice y which ' might lose us the services of our present S.M.