CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 294, 31 July 1875, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

:o: Our columns are open for free discussion ; but we do ngt bold ourselves responsiblefor the opinions of our Correspondents, :o: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It would be interesting to know whether Mr. R. Cooper entertains the same high opinion of the Judge who gave him such a tremendous wigging in Napier, as he seems to hold of the Judges, and some other officials, in Gisborne. If so, it shows an amount of Christian forgiveness, and meek forbearance, that are truly refreshing in these degenerate days; at any rate it must be amazingly gratifying to those gentlemen all round to know that upon the whole he (R. C.) approves of their conduct, and that they may, consequently, expect to keep their appointments for the present.—l am, &c., Enquires.

Sib, —In the Standard of Saturday, the 24th, you state that a reform is required in our Petty Court of Jurisdiction; it is high time there was in every department in the local administration of? law in 'this district. As one instance in proof I will repeat what was told me at Ormond at the meeting about the pound, where I read the sections of the Impounding Act relating to the duties and remuneration of poundkeepers, and mentioned that the law, although stringent, ought to be enforced, so that no poundkeeper would be authorised to pocket (1 had almost said rob) the settlers of this district out of about £4OO a year. At the conclusion of the meeting an official, appointed by the Government and paid by the State, whose duty I consider it is to see that the laws are put in operation for the protection of society*, viz., Sub-Inspector Gudgeon, said that what'l had read and advocated was all nonsense; it not be carried out, as there was no Act but a coach and six could be driigh through it. This being his opinion of, andresp jet for, the laws which he as a servant of the public is bound to see enforced, we need not be surprised at the way he acted in the case of J. Villers, who (according to the Sub-Inspector’s insinuation before the Licensing Bench) had been guilty of a breach of the Licensing Act, which he, as a conservator of Hie peace and morality of the community, ought to have reported to the proper tribunal at once, and let the case stand on its own merits, and not leave it to any one to put his own construction upon it according to his own. inclination — more damaging to one in most cases than the whole truth. As it now' stands Sub-Inspector Gudgeon charges himself either with gross neglect of duty or slanderous falsehood. As it is on public grounds and not from any personal feeling I have toward either the accused or the accuser, and from the interest I take in the just and impartial administration of the law I-ask what guarantee have the public that if the guilty are allowed to escape the innocent will -not be punished ? A firm, just, and impartial Court of Judicature is one of the strongest bulwarks of the liberties of the subjects of Great Britain. On the other hand, we find men entrusted with the administration of the law who either want the capacity to know or the honesty and integrity to discharge the duties of the office to which they have been appointed ; who ignore, mutilate, and set law at defiance, and like so many gipsies, tinker and patch the law so as to suit their own selfish feeling; men, in whose hands a Court of Judicature: becomes a more farce and sham. Every Act passed by the Legislature ought to be carried out in its integrity, to the letter, until amended or repealed. Begging to be excused for taking so much of your valuable space, and, reserving some further remarks to a future time, I am, &c., R Bheingan. Waerenga-a-hika, July 27,1875.