The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1883. MAGISTRATE’S COURT GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1098, 28 April 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1883. MAGISTRATE’S COURT GERALDINE.

For sonio lime past very much dissatisfaction has been expressed by persons whose business compels them to seek the assistance of this Court. The jurisdiction of the Court embraces a large district, and much inconvenience, and frequently absolute loss is experienced through the Court being held only once a month. To prevent a recurrence of so much inconvenience and loss, and to meet the requirements of the place, the Court should be held at least twice a month. Through the courtesy of Mr C. E. Sheratt, the respected Clerk to the Court we have taken an abstract of the business entered for adjudication for the month of March. From it we learn that 3 j civil cases were set down for hearing, amounting to £294 Bs, the fees paid thereon being £1(1 12s, whilst all that was recovered amounted to £5 16s Bd. This great disproportion of amounts recovered, to the tees paid and the aggregate sums claimed, arises from the inability of the Resident Magistrate of Timaru to attend this Court, If we take the criminal business for the same month we find 25 cases, 15 being police cases, and 10 by private individuals. Of these 25 cases 18 resulted in convictions and seven dismissals. This statement we ti .ink will be sufficient to satisfy the proper authorities that one day in a month is not enough to allow the lime necessary for counsel to do justice to (heir clients, or the presiding Magis trate to clear off the business before him. Wa trust our representative W. Posllethwaite, Esq., M.U.R., is also of our opinion, and will endorse the generally expressed feeling that Geraldine is entitled to further consideiation at the hands of the Minister of Justice, and lisp his influence to secure for Geraldine additional accomm' dation as the increasing business of the town and district so urgently need.

THE LOCAL POSTAL SERVICE. Tub people of Geraldine must be Ibe easiestgoing in the world. At 11 a.m. every day

the mail 010-es in that town for the south, ami them is no further means of comtnumca tion before next morning. This arrangement is as unnecessary as it io absurd, and it shows how much the convenience of the people of that town has been neglected or ignored. We are not aware whether any steps have been taken in the direction of sat fine f'h matter right or not, but we think that il is one of those things which the Parliamentary representative of the district might look after. To get up a mail for the coach that leaves there at 6 o’clock in the evening would cost very little trouble to the postmaster, and we are sure that that very civil and obliging officer would not grumble at the duty being imposed upon him. This would giro people an opportunity of sending their letters to Timaru and Temuka, and receive replies to them next day. Why this arrangement has not been adopted long ago is one of those inexplicable things which no one can under stand. Wherever we have been we have noticed that great care has been bestowed on the despatch of mails by every opportu mty that is offered, bub here we find a coach leaving Geraldine at six o’clock every evening to meet the tram that reaches Timaru about eight o’clock, and no mail js made up or despatched by that coach. A mail bag is made up at Temuka at 7 p m,, and despatched to Timaru by the evening train. We should like to know why Geraldine is not treated similarly ? or what is|to prevent a mail being despatched by the evening coach, which could deliver il to the train as it does the mails in the early part of the day. It is most extraordinary how the people of such a thriving township have put up with this sort of thing so long. We hope that immediate steps will be taken in the matter, and the cause of this unnecessary inconvenience removed at once. If it were necessary to run a special conveyance with it, we could understand the thing very well, but as a coach runs at any rate, and has been running for years, it is absolutely absurd not to despatch mads by it.