WILLIAM WATSON, J.P.

NZ Truth, Issue 111, 3 August 1907, Page 5

WILLIAM WATSON, J.P.

A COWARDLY CUR FROM COALGATC, Promising Material for the Magistracy, The Reputation and Record of a Rotter.

Some of the choicest and primest swindlers, and liars, and slave-driv-ers, and thieves and uncouth ignoramuses m Maoriland are Justices of the Peace. It is a sad remark to make, but it is nevertheless quite true. Their immorality might not always be quite bad enough to earn them gaol, but it most assuredly ought to. They are m the happy position of being able to suppress their dubious doings m a manner of speaking , a Jay Pee is looked upon as being a cut above the ordinary, and is often treated accordingly by the powers that be. . So the Police' Court sees them not and the hospitable gaol experiences an aching void at their absence. People of this undesirable class bring the administration of justice into absolute contempt ; the pub-' lie hasn't, the slightest confidence m them, and their peculiar insane decisions are frequently jeered at and are the laughing stock of the place. In the past it has been understood that a man was general ly appointed to the commission of the Peace at the instance of the member for the district m whioh he resided. Most of these appointments — some good, some wretched— have been political, pure and simple. And sorry court spectacles they have provided now and again. The Government should always ascertain whether the man recommended is of good character and is a lit and proper person to sit m the temple of Justice. This is rarely done, but it will have to be done m the future, as shall presently be shown. The last list of new Justices that was printed included a number of Canterbury men, and considerable astonishment was expressed m Chrisrbchurch When the name of . . - ' '

WILLIAM WATSON:, FARMER, of Coalgate figured thereon. There is a great deal of objection, strong solid objection, to William Watson, of Coalgate. People • down his way are wondering how he worked tjie oracle, awl if 0. A. C. Hardy, M.H.R. for the district, had a hand m the wretched business. Watson used to be a policeman, but he doesn't love to descant on the days when he wore a uniform. Some time after that he was employed m some capacity by the Selwyn County Council, but his reign there only lasted a few months, for a reason best known to himself. Subsequently Watson went m for farming, and he is fairly well-to-do at Coalgate, and has a large family. But few people like him. He is the most quarrelsome man m the district, and will pick a row with a fellow whether hie has a drank m him or not. Many is the hiding lie has given men on little or no provocation, inside and outside pubs, although he professes to favor prohibition m his sane moments, and decries pubs as the devil's distilleries, or words to that effect. But very frequently Watson has found more than his match, and received the severe "doing" that he thoroughly deserved. The fellow hasbeen before the Court on a few occasions, when his outbursts of temper have cost him dear. On one occasion he had a row with Alec Beattie, farmer, of Coalgate, over some cattle, or impounding, or fencing, or something of that nature, and he comniittefd a most brutal assault oh Beattie. The latter was very ill for a while as the result of tiie manhandling; he received, and on recovery he took proceedings against the violent man with the red hair. The case was heard before Mr Bishop, S.M., of Ohristchurch, and woeful Watson had to pay heavily for his bashing propensities, the case costing him (roughly) something like £60. Then there was the case of Mr Zouch, Inspector to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Christcburch. Zouch did work for the Selwyn County Council- then m the way of registering dogs, etc. He met Watson at the Coalgate salefyards one day. 'There were a large number of people present as it was sale day. Zouch took Watson aside and asked him about registering \ his two greyhounds. "You know they are registered," quoth Watson. But Zouch knew they were not, and said so, asking for receipts. This nettled Watson, who told the Inspector TO GO TO BLAZES. "Very well," said Zouch, "I will report the non-regiistration to the County Council." As soon, as he had made that remark, Watson rushed at Mm and got hum by the throat and held him hard— so hard that he was almost choking. Twisting his victim round he threw him on the ground. On rising, Zouch remonstrated with Watson ; told him he had no right to assault him, and reminding him that he was a special constable. Then the big bully rushed at the Inspector again, catching him under the shoul J d.er, hitting him m the stomach, and throwing hin heavily to the ground, nearly alighting m the water-race hard by. A crowd of people gathered round, but no one gave Zouch a hand. Ziouch went into the office at the saleyards and commenced getting his dog collars and things together prior to goin-c tr> look for Constable Copeland, who then had charge at Coal- j gain, and Watson entered the room, i and, catching, up the articles, swung them out into the tussocks. Zouch' couldn't find the constable down town, but on his return saw him at the saleyard, and intimated his desire to give Watson m charge. The copper asked if there were any witnesses ,of I the affray, aoid on a number of these being pointed out he spoke to them, and then turned his attention to Watson. That individual had shut himI self m the office and denied ■ to the constable that he had been guilty of an unprovoked assault. After palav- | ering with red head inside for a bit, ■ | Copefland came out and said that he couldn't arrest the man as he didn't .1 see the assault himself. This made Zouoh an^ry, and he telegraphed the ; facts to Inspector Gillies, of Christ- ' church, receiving an answer to the 'effect that all constables had instrucjtionsto assist him (Zouch) m every ; I possible way. On showing the wire \'o the constable the latter still re.fused to arrest Watson, and Zouch i jtben said that, ho would report h.Un, j which he did right away r Zouoh took :

ivil proceedings against his- accessor, claiming £50 damages, including special damages, as he lost some money out of his pocket, whioh Watson had torn open

IN HIS FRENZIED ATTACK on him. The case was heard at Darfield Court before Mr Dyer, S.M., of Auckland, who was acting temporarily m Canterbury at t.hat time. In the meantime Watson had issued a summons against Zouch for assaulting him ; it was an mmediate summonsj, and was to be heard a week before the other case, but. the Justices before whom it came adjourned it, so that it could be heard with Zouch's complaint. Zouch had had to be attended by a doctor, and he broujght him along, as well as four witnesses. Watson's only witness, strangely enough', was Constable Copeland, who swore that Zouoh wanted to give Watson m charge because he refused to register his dogs. The Magistrate characterised this as most absurd, but the constable adhered to the queer yarn. In the result Zouch cot £5 damages, and Wa,tson had to pay something over a tenner for exes, his little freak costing him something under twenty qmid. Zouoh sailed for Constable Copeland for perjury, but withdrew it on it being pointed out by Inspector Gillies that perjury was a very hard thing to prove. A case m which a great deal of interest was taken at the time concerned a sheep owned by the late John Deans. Watson was the defendant once again ; he had taken it from tha saleyards and refused to give it .up to Deans' shepherd, alleging it was his. Well, Deans took civil action, claiming a guinea or the return of the sheep whioh, it was alleged, had been killed m the meantime. A lot of evidence was taken, and the Magistrate ordered Watson to return the sheep within 24 hours, or pay its value to Deans. That case cost Watson a good few pound notes, too. But enough, this is the man who has been gazetted as Justice of the Peace by the Ward Government. It is perhaps only fair to Ward t.o say that he isn't suspected of knowing Watson's career or any of his lit tie peculiarities. This knowledge should have been accmired before the man's name was published at all-in connection with the Commission of the Peace. Those concerned should ftave concern for the public good m these matters. Certainly nobody at Coalgate or Darfield.or thereabouts would care to have a case listed for hearing when William Watson was to be on the Bench. The average J.P. is an unusual creature ; too often he is one of A CERTAIN CLASS OP UPSTART who grow arrogant and insoldnt when they are vested m the slightest authority, and outrage the feelings of better people than themselves. A person with a disgraceful temper shouldn't be permitted to occupy a seat on the bench ; even-handed justice is more precious than.pold. and to give a man power m a judicial capacity to get. even with his neighbors now and again mustn't ibe tolerated "for one moment. A large ; section of the community is against honorary magistrates ; William Watson, of Coaigate, would be more wildly honorary than the average. Writer understands that Premier Ward is having inquiries made into the gentleman's antecedents and capabilities, and a good idea, too. Watson isn't sworn m } r et, be it. remembered. And it is 20 to 1 that he never will be.