MASTERTON'S FINE NEW COURTHOUSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10664, 20 June 1912, Page 5

MASTERTON'S FINE NEW COURTHOUSE.

The handsome new" . Courthouse, situa'ted in. Dixon Street, Masteirton, immediately iripposite the Park gates, which is to do duty for the Supreme Court and Magistrate's Court, is to t>.3 officially opened by the Minister of Justice (Hon.' J. A. Hanan) at 'three o'clock this .afternoon. The building,' which is of caie-storey, with an elevated Coiiirt-rocan, is constructed in brick, with faeirngs of Oamaru stone, and is probably one «f .the most handsome of ott3 kind in the Dominion. The ck&'ign is striking ated attractive, ■Tiiough idle contrast witih theTechmea! .School. buttding which adjoins is

somewhat remarkable. The plans were prepared by officers of the Public Works Department, and- the conibract has beem carried out by Messrs King wftd Son, builders, in a workmanlike manner. The .building, which is en-' closed by an iron fence set on concrete, is approached 'by double doors leading ifircm Dixon Street. These opera to a vestibule. 30ft long by Bft wide, running north and south. The main Court-room is in the centre. This is 50ft long by 30ft wiide, and tho veiling is 22ft high. The walls of the .room are lined with a heavy dadoing, the top being of plaster. The a'oom is .approached by two doors (from the front, and by four doors at the eiders. Tlie Judge's and Magistrate's Bench is situated at the eastern end. On the north gide is the. jury box, befeide. which is tho witness tbox. The Press is provided with suitable accommodation fro the south, while the prisoner's dock is oro the eastern end, tTTreotly facing the bench. Three'tables have 'been provided for the legal ;p.:'CifciT!sion:. The room is well lighted and ventiMed, and has a fire-place on either side. Corridors 66ft 'long and Hi wide run down either side of the Court-room. The public office, which is spacious and well-lighted, is situated on, the mcirlth-westieTn earner of the btuildirg, and is ■ approached firom the vestibule.-- Behind it are situated the Clerk's room, .with a capacious strong room, the Magistrate's'room, a common jury room, and a pi teener's room. . A corridor en the oast em er.d leads to storerooms, lavatories and conveniences. On the south-east side of the building is a fine large Judge's room, w.th cowvenieacos. Adjoining this, is a room for female with 'lavatory, and fua-their along, the oorricbi" is a. room for male witnesses and another for the .robing of the legal

TO BE OFFICIALLYOPENED TO-PAY.

fraternity. A fine .large room is .prosviidad in the frtatot «f the building for grand juryriiem, and a corridor leads to the aibmry. The latter is one of the best rc«m,s irr the Courthouse, It is 24fb x 21ft in dimensions,' welllighted' lataid verit&ated, with .a glass door opening out to the side. building is plastered. tbrbugliciut, and •finished in solid timbers. ' stud is 12ft, which affords em abundance of air-space. Altogether, the Courthouse is a credit to the Department, ■the icontraietors and the Dominion, and all that remains to complete it are decent fua-nceliings and a wellequipped library. The furnishing "has (been extracted for by Messrs G. Hyde and Co., which is a sufficient guarantee that it .wil be all that can he desired.

THE OLD COURTHOUSE. The building which has hitherto done duty in Miaste'rton as a Courthov,s& was created ini ISS4. It hats ihtis served the public fdr twentyeight year©. Prior to its lerection, jansfcice iwas diispen'sed in a small iroom adjoining the olki Town Hall. The flrsit Magistrate in the district was •the kte Mr H. S.-Wa/rdell, who dc- | on-pded the Bench fcr about twemty- \ five years./He was followed by Mr j' Yon Stiirmcr, who was succeeded by I Colonel Robert©. Then came Messrs I -Northoroft, W. R. Haseldein, T. Hir- ' chison, ,W. P. James, Turton, and L. G. Reid, Mr C. C. Graham Waving acted -as .relieving Magistrate for a ,time. Sittings orf the Bisfbrict Cburt were held here for some years, and (\vere presided over by District Judges Kettle, Robin s/cai and Ha'gelden. The circuit sittings of. the Supreme Court have been held ifcir some fouaor' five years. The successive Clerks of the 00-urA and (Registrars have beew Mesisrs C Do Castro, J. J. iF.reeth, E. Raweon and M. Foley. ■There are about twenity Justices c,f the Peace at present ia/vaikble in the town, the oldest of whom a.re Mef si's .W. H. Beeffbaan; •M. C?..selberg, -G. Heron and. Dir iiosking.

'THE CRIMINAL-CALENDAR. So ifa.r as crime lis concerned, Masterton has .waver ■ claimed amy prominence. The only capit'al charge .preferred in (the diabrict ,wm against the roan Somcrville, wBo, .some eiglit<\ n or twoft/ty years ago, shot .down a. sofaler named Herbert (with whom he

was Laving litigation), in the main. thoroughfare. Somervil'le was defended by .the late Mi' C. A. PownalU ia<nd was acquitted m the Supreme •Court "on the grounds of insanity. 'ln , ithe tCd days the chielf offences weEfr •sheep stealing and -/the. failure to de- ■ •stsroy rabbits. How the Court shook ion itany an cccaisioin when.the late Mr J. C. An'di-ew defraided Wnuselffor filing to destroy the raibbits on. •his property at lea! Among ,the mctefc serious cases heard in the early days of tho old Ocu.rt-houso -were the charges preferred against certain jpeople of Waiving whisky stills on. .thear property. In recent years, by a strange irony, (the most * charges: appear ito be .those'cif having. the whisky itself on tJie property. THE CIVIL SIDE. The civil side of the Court has furnished, .numerous interesting cases. At one time libeF seemed to .be in the air, and the legal profession, appeared to thrive upon it. That was hr the early days of the District Court. Motet of the important civil actions, however, weniivto Wellington. Ifc (was only lafter yeai's of agitation that ttihe .Government was induced to mKtal circuit sittings cf. the * SupremeCotfilti These have now, apparently* 'come .to etay. . v THE LEGAL PROFESSION. . .-Mastertom has always been foVtnii'aite in having "a ettrorg Bar for the civil as : w«H io as the criminal cnurtMessrs A. 8,. Bunny (Crowri prosecutor), and W. G. Beiaa*d aire theoHeet rpVacitSsing barristers-.and solicitors hx (the town. After them came Meesrsr jSkipper, Gawith, PownalJ, Jackson, jßcbire'cta, HoJlings, Dolan, Logan, ,Dr Tranibie, Hfcad-Newtcn, Cullen, iLavery, and Moran.. Among those I. who have graduated to the Bar front , j iMasttemfcoli are Messrs 0. B. MoriI son >(>n>ow of Wellington), Dokm (now flf Napier), Brings,, Rhgnell, and lOuMen.' T'he Wairacapa- lias a .branch of tdio Laiw Society, which has formed the nucleus of a W library. THE POLICE. No Court could carry on its busi- • nejss without the minions of the law.-\ These have ibeen worthily Tepregeated by ScrgcWwS'Mcicaio', Price, Keily '(now Inspector), Han,an, O'Malley, I .and Mill&r. .