The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1882. THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 987, 5 August 1882, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 1882. THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE.

A few issues ago we pointed out the

necessity of appointing a Resident Magistrate for this district, and urged that the matter should be considered at the meeting held in the Volunteer Hall recently. The meeting adopted our suggestion, and carried a resolution requesting our representative in Parliament to urge the question upon the attention of the Government. There can be no doubt that the administration of justice has been very badly attended to in tins district for some time past, and that an immediate change is necessary. Last Tuesday morning, at 8 o ’clock, a man committed suicide, and the inquest on the body wag not held until last Thursday morning at 10 o’clock. The Resident Magistrate was communicated with on the same day, hut deferred holding the inquest until the lime stated. The delay in this matter was quite unnecessary. If the Resident Magistrate could not have attended, any Justice of the Peace would have done as well. Where was tlie necessity therefore for delay? Why did not the Resident Magistrate instruct the police to get a J ustice of the Peace to hold it ? Recently a man named Allford, alias Brown, died very suddenly at Rangitata, and was brought into town for the purpose cf an inquest being held, hut the Resident Magistrate decided not to hold any inquest. This is the first instance of a case of sudden death where no doctor had been attending the deceased, and no certificate as to the cause of death had been given, being passed over without an inquest that has come under our notice, but is is in keep ing with with the slipshod way things are being done in this district. How could the Coroner know whether an inquest was necessary or not until he had made inquiries ? Could not the man have been killed in many ways ? Might he not have died from the effects of poisoning, and how could the Coroner know that he had or had not until a post mortem examination had been held, and the cause of death ascertained ? We do not mean for a moment to say that the man did not die from natural causes, in fact we are sure that he did, hut to satisfy the ends of justice it was certainly necessary that an inquest should have been held on him. Besides, the man w*s possessed of considerable property when he died, and, if for no other reason, this should have been looked after by the Court. If we had another Resident Magistrate things would not bs carried on in this fashion, and consequently we hope that before long we shall have this want, which has been so much felt, supplied.