DISTRICT COURTS RETRENCHMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2346, 23 September 1880, Page 2

DISTRICT COURTS RETRENCHMENT.

SECOND EDITION

[Bv Tki.kohaiui.] Wellington, Sept. 22. With reference to my telegram last night regarding the intention of the Government as to District Courts retrenchment, I find that by direction of the Government retrenchment returns have been recently prepared, showing the amount of business actually transacted at the various District Courts, with a view of ascertaining whether in any cases they could be spared without prejudice to the public convenience. The result is some interesting statistics. In the Auckland judicial district, during the first six months of the current year the District Court dealt with 7-1 civil and 4 criminal cases, sitting at Auckland, Gisborne, Hamilton, and the Thames at various intervals. In Taranaki there were B 7 civil cases and 1 criminal trial, the Court sitting at New Plymouth an I Carlyle. In Hawke’s Bay, the Court sat 28 times, dealing with 4 criminal and dd civil cases, in the Wellington district, the Court sat 21 times, the sittings being distributed among Wellington City, Grey town, Masterton, Palmerston, and Wanganui. The cases wore 8 criminal and 30 civil. In tbo Nelson district, the Court sat do times, the places being Nelson, Motueka, Reefton, aud Westland, and the number of cases 57 civil aud 3 criminal. Of these, however, 5‘J belonged to the town of Nelson, Motueka having none at all, Reefton only 3, and Westport but 9. The Marlborough Court sat six times each at Pic ton and Blenheim, while only one single case was presented. In Westland the Court sat 9 times each at Hokitika and Greymouth, but only 1 criminal and 9 civil cases came before it in the whole lialf-j'car. At Hokitika the Court had only 1 criminal and 2 civil cases to deal with in 9 sittings, and at Greymouth but 7 in the same number of sittings. In Canterbury the Court sat 3d times, viz., at Christchurch, Asburton, Garnnru, Timaru and Wairnatc, dealing with 2 criminal and 8d civil cases. In Otago the Court held 5-1 sittings, viz., Gcacb at Dunedin, Invercargill. Oamarn, Palmerston, and Milton, and 3 each at Alexandra, Arrowtown, Clyde, Cromwell, Lawrence, Nascby, Queenstown, and Tapanni. The cases adjudicated upon numbered I criminal and 135 civil, but these were most unequally distributed. Ear instance, Invercargill had 72 oases, Dunedin 17,Lawrence 15, and Oamarn 11, but Alexandra, Arrowtown, aud Nascby had none at all, Clyde and Tapauul only 2 cases, and Queenstown 3 in all. This shows that there is a large opening for ccomomy, aud I have reason to believe that the Government will cut down the expenses to tiro utmost. Further economy probably may be effected by utilising the services of some Native Land Court Judges, whose time is by no means fully occupied, as Deputy Judges in the District Courts.—“ Press ” correspondent.