RETIREMENT OF MR BADDELEY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1740, 22 May 1888, Page 3

RETIREMENT OF MR BADDELEY.

The New Zealand Herald has the following with respect to the resignation of Mr Baddeley, E.M.: —“ Mr Baddeley was acting as R.M. in a district in Canterbury, and the time he had been in .the public service entitled himto a pension. There was an urgent necessity for a Police Magistrate in Auckland for various reasons. Mr Seth Smith, the hard steady worker, could not overtake all the duties of the Civil Court, and so could hardly spare any time at all for police cases, therefore these fell into the hands of Justices, 'ihe decisions given were faulty on several accounts. The Justices did not seem to have the courage to award adequate sentences to members of the criminal classes who were before them, and besides, these sentences were so varied that their effect in repressing prevalent larrikin crime was nil. The Government, therefore, knowing that Mr Baddeley was formerly resident in Auckland, and had a desire to live here again, posted him that he should come here to discharge the duty of Sheriff, and sit two days on the Bench in the Police Court to deal with ordinary cases arising there. He was not to receive any salary for acting as assistant R.M., but he was informed that fees from the shrievalty would make up his income, with his pension, to what he had been previously receiving. The fees have amounted to nothing like the promised sum, and Mr Baddeley finds himself acting as Sheriff and assistant R.M. for an amount very little above his pension. In consequence he has sent in ;his resignation. We think there will be a general sentiment of regret through the community when the fact is knowp. Some feeling has been expressed in Auckland that one or two of his sentences have been too severe, but on calm reflection that idea has passed away, and the overwhelming balance of public opinion is that Mr Baddeley has done immense service to his country, and stopped a kind of crime which was becoming intolerable because so much tolerated. He has already been what Police Magistrates should be, a terror to evil doers instead of a laughing stock. We observe that a southern member proposes to bring some of Mr Baddeley’s sentences before the House of Representatives with the view of having him cautioned to be more lenient in future. We can only suppose that this knows nothing about the state of things in Auckland before the advent of Mr Baddeley, and is inspired with some other motive than zeal for the public good. It is obvious that we cannot do without an assistant R.M., and certainly the Government will not get so good a man as Mr Baddeley on anything like the same terms. Whether other arrangements can yet be made we are not aware, but can have no hesitation in saying that the retirement of Mr Baddeley from the Bench will be a serious public loss.” It is reported that Colonel Roberts will take the position.