APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18400, 5 June 1925, Page 11

APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.

STATEMENT BY THE MAYOR . The statement made by the Minister of Justice, Sir James Parr, earlier in* the week relative to the appointment of Justices of the Peace received a reply from the Mayor, Air J. K. Archer, yesterday. "My nomination for -appointment to the magistracy," said Mr Archer, "wa9 not sent forward on purely personal grounds. Our theory as a Labour Party i 3 that as'long as-present social conditions remain, Labour should be adequately represented on all legislative j and administrative bodies,.and we consider, it is not ,so represented at the present' time. I had no idea that the fact that one is a clergyman by profession is a disqualification for the magistracy. In England it certainly is not. Moreover,. it is 'to be hoped that Sir James Parr's reference to my being a clergyman was not an amounting to an excuse for the rejection of ruy nomination, rather, than a reason. However, the matter can be decided in quite a practical manner. I would like to challenge Sir James Parr either to produce the papers affecting one nominee, or if he cannot do so because they are regarded as confidential, to report himself as to their contents. The position is this: that an ex-Mayor of my acquaintance, and therefore an es-J.P., a reputable man, and in every way suitable for the position, was reported upon as -being suitable with the qualification that he was ah opponent of the Massey Government and a Labour man or Socialist, or both. On that ground, I understand, he was 'turned down. I will supply Sir James Parr with his name. A practical test of that sort is better than all theorising."