AN OBNOXIOUS J.P.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1845, 2 June 1885, Page 2

AN OBNOXIOUS J.P.

A Northern contemporary tells the following anecdote, which we have no doubt will be keenly relished by all Scotchmen : — In a certain rural township a particularly captious old Caledonian made a point of, as often as possible, taking his seat on the Bench at the local Police Court. His colleagues in the commission of the peace found him so obstinate and hot tempered that they shirked duty whenever they f ouud him there as h« had become a nuisance. Bfeing the sole occupant of the Bench one day and the business of the Court being delayed through lack of a second magistrate, a facetious attorney, who was engaged in a case, and being aware of; the hopelssness of getting a second magistrate, undertook to find one, saying that there was "a stranger in. the town, who was in the commission of the peace." Our old friend undertook to keep his seat until a colleague was found. The attorney departed on his mission, and' a few minutes afterwards a small parcel was brought iuto Court addressed to the presiding magistrate. TKe old gentleman (turned it over, and making sure of the accuracy of the address, he opened it in the preieneeof the ; Court. It contained a red herring ! Those who know that the term " Glasgow Magistrate" is a nick-name for those dried fish will not only see the joke, but judge its effect on the. choleric recipient. ■■< : ..