Training Of Magistrates In U.K. Described

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31047, 30 April 1966, Page 20

Training Of Magistrates In U.K. Described

“The Role and Training of Magistrates in England” was the subject of an address to the Canterbury Justices of the Peace Association on Thursday evening by Mr P. R. H. Webb, reader of conflict of laws at the University of Nottingham, who is a visiting lecturer at the University of Canterbury this year. In England a justice of the peace and a Magistrate was the same thing, said Mr Webb. A magistracy used to be regarded as a poor man’s knighthood. There were 100 magistrates in Nottingham and 30 courts a week were held. Three to five was considered the best number on the bench but there could be up to seven. An English justice of the peace had much wider powers than a New Zealand justice, said Mr Webb. In England he had powers to imprison for up to six months or impose a fine of up to £100; could deal with such offences as dangerous driving or driving under the influence of drink or drugs, could disqualify drivers; could make a hospital order when there was evidence of mental aberration; and could make an order for conditional or absolute discharge.

An offender could also be placed on probation or a suggestion could be made to the recorder that borstal be considered.

English "courts had a clerk to the justices who had to be a qualified barrister or solicitor of five years’ standing. His job was to keep justices straight on the law and court procedure, said Mr Webb.

Justices could also deal with many civil cases such as matrimonial complaints of desertion, cruelty, or adultery. They also had administrative duties such as granting liquor

licences and bookmakers' licences.

A provision in the regulations said that courts were to provide training for new magistrates, said Mr Webb. Until recently this had not always been observed. In Nottingham new men were given six two-hour lectures at the university, put with senior magistrates on the bench, encouraged to visit penal institutes, and three week-end courses were held which all magistrates in the city and county were expected to attend.