CORRESPONDENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 5 November 1907, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

THE BOROUGH BYLAWS. To the Editor. Sir, —Nine carters appeared before the lo(:al magistrate last week chargejd w-th a trivial breach of the borough bylaws, and they were each lined 5s and costs, the total amount of which costs they very naturally presumed would amount to 7s (Id, making a grand total of 12s ud. In addition to this, however, they liave been made to pay 7s 6xl each for prosecuting solicitor's fees. It would thus appear that the Borough Council's solicitur nets a total return of £3 7s Ud for perhaps a couple of hours' work. In fact, it would seem that his services were scarcely necessary, seeing that the defendants pleaded guilty, Now, Sir, thessc men have to do a hard day's work to earn 7s (id, and the public can very well be left to form their own opinion of the charges objected to. If the borough by-laws are so devoid of commons-sense that they require such extraordinary expert services to interpret or defend them, then the Borough Council should pay the cost of Buch services themselves. No doubt all of the councillors are not aware of the above-mentioned circumstance, and I trust that the publication of the same will lead to the matter being further heard of at their next meeting.—l ujn, etc., JEHU.