MAGISTERIAL INCONSISTENCY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 79, 12 July 1910, Page 6

MAGISTERIAL INCONSISTENCY.

To the Editor. Sir,—l am glad to see that you have drawn attention to the Magisterial inconsistency which was displayed at this Court on' Thursday morning, 1 hope more may be heard of it, and that an abler pen than mine may utter a protest against the harsh treatment which that Unfortunate Chinese received. \ The sentence goes to prove that it is more culpable "to snatch a rope from the hands of a person, tout without violence," than to strike a person "a severe blow on the back of the head, knock off his hat, send him staggering on to the road, and use insulting language to him." For the. former offence a fine of £5 was inflicted; for the latter £2. iSurely this is inconsistency run mad! It is a wellknown axiom that there is "one law for the rich and another .for the poor"; to' that, it may with be added, there is "one. law for the British and another for the Chinese." Ido not refer to this instance alone, for wherever those in authority get a chance they are always severe on the yellow race. We can only excuse the Magistrate by assuming that he was suffering from an attack of '"liver"!' We are glad it was not our resident Magistrate who gave the decision, and we trust that some means will he taken to quash the unjust convictions.—"'! am, etc.,. AMICUS CURIAE. New Plymouth, July 8, 1910.