APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 72, 25 March 1922, Page 14

APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.

. i OBJECTION TO PRESENT METHOD. I The method of the appointment of i Justices of the Peace was the subject of ' some remarks 'by Mr. 1. Salek at the i •annual meeting of the Justices' Associa- i tion beld in Wellington on Thursday i evening. The association, he said, had made ; overtures to the Government that it ' should 'be allowed to report upon candidates for the office. The procedure, he understood, -was that names were handed 'by im'iribers of Parliament to. the Government, and these were aitsrwards passed on to a magistrate and the police for them to report on. The council was of the opinion that it could render a report of as great, if not greater, value than that of the police. The appointees Avere drawn from the commercial classes, and it stood to reason that they were in a better ; position to know the characteristics of a candidate, lie thought this a matter of convenience: they .would not raise an i objection unless on very strong grounds, and the Government could surely trust . them in this matter. The GoA-ernraent, j be understood, were not Aery anxious j to accede to this request. They con- | sidered that the question involved a I good deal of principle. Still, the coun- j j cil would be in a ibetter position to , report on the financial position, the business reputation and general character of the man than either magistrate or police.