PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1881. WANTED.

Patea Mail, 17 May 1881, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1881. WANTED.

The number of magistrates in the Patea district should be increased. Only four unpaid justices are appointed between Waitotara and Manutahi, two of these being so far from town as to be available only on such occasions as the holding of a Licensing Court. The other two be called whenever the K.M. is out of town on business, as is frequently the case. One of these is a doctor, and his professional duties may take him to a distance at any time when his presence is otherwise necessary to constitute a Court. The other is a banker whose time can ill be spared in the middle of the day. The same objections could hardly apply to local justices engaged in any other profession. The two Patea justices have to take the Court business so frequently that the honor of the office must be inconvenient. An increase in the number might be urged on other grounds which are more or less apparent to those who read Police Court literature. One other inconvenience is this. The R.M. acts as Coroner, and is liable to be called away at short notice, leaving practically no interval for the Clerk of the Court to secure the attendance of two Magistrates who are beyond half-an-hour’s call. Justices living outside the town have their usefulness limited by the time lost in sending a hasty message for attendance at that day’s Court. These justices would doubtless make an effort to lighten the work of the town justices, if it could be done conveniently. That can hardly be so, or the Court would not tave been postponed so frequently as it has been of late, to the grievous annoyance of many persons having business set down for hearing; a suitor losing time, money, and temper by useless attendance of self and witnesses. Two additional justices, one living in the town and the other within three miles, are urgently required. No tinge of party favor should appear in the selection of suitable persons. If we must fight about politics, let Justice be above political prejudice, for goodness’ sake.