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South Canterbury Times, Issue 2343, 20 September 1880, Page 2

Mu Frank Guinness, R.M. of Ashburton and Temuka appears to be a bone of contention between counsel and client. It is stated that Mr Guinness has received instructions to retire from his position as Resident Magistrate at Ashburton, or accept a similar position at Coilingwood, at a salary of £223 per annum. Colliugwood would appear to he a sort of haven of rest for dilapidated magistrates when they have run the gauntlet of the somewhat extensive bar that nourishes in Ashburton. It was to Coilingwood that Mr Guinness’ predecessor, Mr Be Grand Campbell was sent, amidst the howls of the discontented lawyers of the plains. 'Mr Guinness in turn having given mortal offence to these gentlemen is being sent to the right about. Coilingwood or oblivion is the Hobson’s choice, which as the reward of twenty-one years’ service, a benevolent country places before him. If ho resolves, like the poor curate, to cling to his living, it must be at the salary of a junior lawyer’s clerk. Fancy a judicial encj'dopidia, brimful of statutes and legal technicalities, dispensing elaborate judgments for £22.3 a year ! But although Mr Guinness has been commanded to retire from Ashburton, at the request, as it is understood, of an offended bar, the people of Ashburton and Temuka, and the legal gentlemen of Timarn are adverse to the proposed sacrifice, and a memorial in Ids favor is being largely signed. Mr Guinness has doubtless Ids failings, but wo have only to look in the direction of Otago to find far worse Magistrates in more important positions. We are satisfied that whim he errs it. is inadvertently, and Ids decisions arc usually satisfactory In the public, if not to the legal brotherhood itr Ashburton. As a fact Ashburton is lawyer ridden ; it has an army of professional gentlemen quite out of proportion to the surrounding population, and as they do not care about eating one another, they must either be allowed .the privilege of carefully .skinning and picking the bones of their clients, or they must eat the magistrate. Mr Ivoss, a well-known journalist', tried to interfere with their operations some time ago, and the public know the result—how they tried to imprison him. but found more than their match. We hope Mr Guinness, R.M., wilt not bo allow'd to retire just yet. The fact that he has made himself unpopular among the “skinner” family in Ashburton, siiows that Ids usefulness is just beginning to take effect.