MEETING OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1419, 17 November 1885, Page 2

MEETING OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

A meeting of the Justices of the Pesos residing in the Geraldine district was held in the Courthouse, Geraldine, yesterday, for the purpose of arranging the rota of attend* anoee in accordance with the new Jaitieei of the Peace Act, for the ensuing year. There were present the Hon. L. Walker, Capt. Temple, Dr Fish, Bev, Geo. Barclay, and Messrs 0. G. Tripp, and W. IT. Slack. The Clerk of the Court, Mr 0. B. Sherratt, wait also in attendance. The Hon. L, Walker was voted to the chair. The Chairman itated that as there were only two of the Justices residing within n radiue of six miles from the Courthouse, vi*, Dr Fish and the Bev. Geo. Barclay, it would simply be a question on the part of the others of volunteering to attend the Court. Mr Tripp asked whether the Government could not be requested to appoint other Justices within the radius. The Chairman replied that two gentlemen had been recommended Messrs W. M. Moore and B, H. Postlethwaite—and the Hon. the Minister of Justice, Mr Tole, had promised him (the Chairman) that they would be immediately gazetted, but so far he had not seen their names in the Gazette. He would suggest, in addition to these two gentlemen, three others should be asked to consent to be placed on the Commission ol! the Peace. It was then decided to write to Messrs A. H. Brisco, F. W. Donkin and B, Bayley ae» oordingly, and a request was thereupon drafted and signed by the Justices present. The Chairman then wrote to the Hon. the Minister of Justice, informing him that only two Justices of the Peace resided within the radius, who were available under the Justices of the Peace Act, and also request* ing that the two gentlemen who had been recommended be placed on the Commission of the Peace, as he did not see how the work of the Court was to be dote otherwise. The Bev. Mr Barclay said that to comply with the Act a quorum of three must attend the Court, but as there where only two available, they could not fix a rota of attendance. The Chairman said he for one, though not bound to attend, would always be glad to do so when required. NEW COURTHOUSE, A discussion took place on the state of the present Courthouse. A sum of & ISO, it was stated, had been placed on the Estimates for the purpose of enlarging the building The Clerk of the Court ststed that the Government Inspector, Mr Hurrell, inspected the building about 12 months ago, and he made suggestions re the alteration which he intended te lay before the Government, that would involve an expenditure of about £BOO. After further discussion a memorial was drawn up to be signed by the Resident Magistrate and the Justices of the Peace, asking the Government to grant a further sum of £l5O, seeing that that amount alone would be inadequate to make the necessary alterations and enlarge the building to a suitable size, The memorial asked that immediate action should be taken to carry out the alterations. At the suggestion of the Bev. Geo. Barclay the Clerk of the Court was instructed to forward a plan of the present building to the Government along with the memorial. This being all the business the meeting terminated.