The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 629, 9 May 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 1878.

Thk peopte of Hampden and surrounding districts have just cause to_ complain of the arrangements under which they are at present necessitated to procure summonses to brinir recalcitrant debtors up to the m:irk. A stttim: of the Conn, at which Mr. Parkef., R.M., presides, takes place on Wednesdays at 10 o'clock in the morning : and it is" while Mr. Parkek is on that settlers are either compelled to take advantage of his presence in Hampden to obtain summonses, let the inconvenience to them be never so Teat or, as is too frequently the only Alternative in choosing the lesser of two !vils, attend to other business, and perait the debtor to escape. This is the loaition in which many settlers are nnforunately placed ; and it is one the mainenanue of which is as nnnecssary as it is acouvenient to both the man seeking to

obtain, his dues and Mr. Parker.. It would ti»t be such a hardship were a Justice of the Peace at hand, but in the country lying between Oamaru and Palmerston a Justice of the Peace is a m.veltv. There is but one. and that is Dr. Smith, who resides at Otepopo. Everybody knows that a i,.-dical man remains in any one place tV,r scarcely two onsecntive minutes, and. even shoul; a person, finding that waiting for . Ir. Parker's arrival in Hampden would be inconvenient. »»r result in total loss, deem it worth his while to take a day's journey to and fr»m Otepopo from some remote part of the district, it is quite likely that he wonid find that gentleman absent from home. It seems tons that the Government might with advantage create another Jr. : or two in the districts lying between here and Palmerston. It is strange that ; whilst, in some places J.P.'s are redundant, in others there are none : and tee unequal distribution of the honor would -n-e color to the general impression that J.P.'s are not created because they are rcitired. but for political expediency. It the Government eariTi.it see its curse elear to swell t'-e roll of J.P.'s. which, it must he confessed, is already quit ■ large enough, whv should not Constable Gkeen F.e empowered to bstte summonses, and otherwise fulfil the functions of a Resident Magistrate's Curt Clerk I Mr. Commissioner Welimjs. when spoken to upon the subject, confessed that something should be done : but the old and unsatisfactory system still obtains, to the annoyance, discomfort, and loss of everyone concerned but debtors.