Meeting of Justices.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 43, 8 September 1900, Page 3

Meeting of Justices.

A tneeting of Justices of th< - i Peace was held in the Wai matt . Courthouse at 10 a.m. oil Thursday. It was well attended. Me J. Manchested, chief 4 ustiee, was voted to ■ the chair, and explained that the 1 meeting was called to consider the \ . question of "petitioning the Govern- ' menfc to insure the attendance of a Stipendiary Magistrate at least once a fortnight. Cases of such magni1 tade that Justices could not adjudicate had to be repeatedly ■ adjourned because of the non-at-tendance ef the S.M., 'who was , called away frequently to other places. \ It was resolved that the Govern- ; ment "be petitioned to remedy the existing defect, aad a petition was drafted to be forwarded to Welling- ' ton, This was signed by ai 1 present. Tiae following is a copy of thpetition : —

Waimate, Sept. 7, 1900. , To the Hon. the Minister r . Justice, Wellington. '• Siit, — We, the undersigned Ju: 'tiees o/t the Peace in and adjacent » : Wai-mate beg respectfully again \ [ I call your attention to the frequei. absence of the Stipendiary Magistrate oa the regular fortnightly : Uourt days, thus casting upon the i Justices, without any notice, the responsibilities of taking important cases, which, wo respectful ty Submit, shouul bd taken by the Magistrate. We are quite willing to take t ! io ordinary duties of Justices, but in aiAny cusea we have to take those which, in our opinion. r?,jiiira l.'ne responsibility and experience of the Magistrate. We hay& also again to point out to you the great inconvience and expense to plaintiifs and defendants in actions above the jurisdiction of Justices. Some of which have to cooie and bring their ■witnesses many miles, then to find that their case cannot be heard and having to face the same uncertainties oa a future court day. Trusting you may be able to make such apraagmenfcs as will secure the presence of a Stipendiary Magistrate once a fortnight at least. Here fallow the signatures of all the Justices presents. We -also beg to p'drat out that ota a lormer occasion, "having tfmd9 a similar representation 4© the Bepartxnent ao redress has 'been ' obtaiaed^ We bsg to state that' during the last twelve months a Stipendiary Magistrate has sat here twelve times, instead of the twentysix understood to be arranged for- ! Moved tfeat the petition submitted by Mr Milsom with the above suggested additions be adopted and forwarded to ihe Department of Justice by the chairman of this meeting, Mr J. Manchester.