MORE WORK WANTED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 198, 7 June 1929, Page 6

MORE WORK WANTED

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER

(Special to the "Guardian.") WELLINGTON, June 6. That Justices of the Peace were 'not sufficiently utilised in New Zealand courts was a criticism made to the Hon. T. M. AVilford, Minister of Justice, by a deputation from the Federation of New Zealand Justices of the Peace. There are 5000 Justices, hut, the deputation pointed out, they were infrequently employed, though they could relieve Stipendiaries of by-law cases, undefended civil claims, and drunkenness offences.

Mr W T iiford replied that he recognised the splendid work of the Justices and that their status had improved, largely due to the tact that the men who formed the association were imbued with the idea that their office, was a* responsible one. Unthinking people sometimes tallied sneeringly of "Jus■tices' justice."' There might be good business men of sound judgment who, when they found themselves in the strange surroundings of the court, made mistakes, and honest ones. His advice to the Justices appointed in his constituency was that for the first year or so they should cautiously feel theii feet. "Give your judgment, which may probably be right, but don't give youi reasons, which will probably be wrong,'' said Mr Wilford. Most complaints ro garding Justices' decisions which h<> had investigated showed that the deci sions were correct, but some remarks had been so controversial that one wondered whether they gave a right decision. . . The deputation informal the Minister that country Justices were over worked but city Justice* were rarelj called on. M Wilford replied that the explanation was simple. There were three Magistrates in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and two in Dunedin. He had arapointed a relieving Magistrate, enabling twenty-five Magistrates to take holidays. If Stipendiaries could not do their work he would be willing to use Justices for relief, but he was not willing that this should be done and Magistrates not fillin their day. He was unfavourable to increasing the jurisdiction of Justices.