THE BENCH AND THE BAR.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VII, Issue 325, 1 February 1876, Page 6

THE BENCH AND THE BAR.

To the Editor of the Cromwell" Argus. Sir,—Having ascertained that ;a certain remark made by the Warden to me. in Court last JMday'has reached the ears of the persons in Court, and that it can only.be interpreted to my injury, I ask your permission to remark upon the surrounding circumstances so that my reputation as an agent may not suffer. In the course of some remarks by the Warden in that discquraging and stern tone he so -well knows how to 1 assume at will, he stated in an audible aside to me that if he discovered anything like.encouraging litigation by an agent he knew well how to promptly stop that sort of thing. A Warden's position entitles him to say many things which, beyond the ( precincts,of the Court, he would not attempt to titter!" It; is,' howeVer, questionable if a gentleman' should exercise the distinction without good and sufficient cause. That there was any ground; of truth or reason for making such an ungenerous suggestion I emphatically deny ; but having experienced on more occasions than one similarly humiliating and hurtful remarks, I was not'affected more deeply than I have been many times before. I have not forgotten a circumstance which certainly did appear to me to' be encouraging litigation, but as it was by the Magistrate himself I\ concluded that my views on these matters were not correct. It will, however, stand narration. When Marsh failed to get his 'appeal agairistthe last assessment entertained; the Magistrate addressed him at' very considerable length, and in the course of his remarks he said he wanted to assist Marsh in finding a back door by which he could get the matter agam into Court, and he suggested a plan and advised Mr Marsh that it was worth while "trying it on," although he had some doubt as to its ultimate success. These remarks I pass Without comment. As several of my Mends have asked me why the Warden seems to have none but discouraging remarks for my ear, and that he directs his approving and winning 'tones; to, the other side of the table, I can only reply that 1 know not; but to assist the public to solve the enigma I will state a few circumstances .that may guide them. - • ' l ''" 1. Some months ago I complained that»a personal statement (viz., not by agent or solicitor) in a Warden's Court complaint was an inconvenient matter as the Warden ; was ; here'only one day weekly, and 1 had hardly uttered the words when I felt, that I had ignited a mine. " Ha ! are you one "Of those who want 'a second Warden," &c. I muttered apologies, did not mean anything of the sort, &c., and retired. 2. A few weeks ago the Town Council-arranged to memorialize for a Resident Magistrate at Cromwell. The Dunstan Times ridiculed the idea, and the Cromwell correspondent of that paper applied to practice as agent in Court at Cromwell and is admitted in a gracious manner ; yet when 1 had the favor conferred on me some time ago it was done in such an apparently conservative tone that I felt as if I had just received the benefit of a serious doubt!' The public, however, now look with some little curiosity to discover where the Court will <h'aw the line aa to eligibility. • . ; ■''- •*■'«'' H This late addition to the roll of practising agents volunteered'sbme very severe animadversions on the conduct of the Mayor, and the remarks were listened to by-rthe* Bench with an apparent appreciative smile. And when Mr Jolly attempted to set tiiinself right,before |he Court, after vain attempts'to'get ma word edgeways, he had to give up, the effort in. disgust.' In conclusion, I will now just point,;opt that Mr Jolly is head of the Corporation that has the audacity to memorialize, for $ resident Warden, and I have the honor to be connected with the body as Clerk ; and the correspondent of the Dunstan Times, which '' pooh*p<y>by' | the; movement,, is the recipient of the smiles and blandishments of the Court; 1 leave the pnblic to draw their own conclusions.—l am &c, ;••, •' Charles Colclovgil,