BAILIFFS AND THEIR WORK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 226, 17 June 1908, Page 5

BAILIFFS AND THEIR WORK.

Sir, —Wo think it is high time that the Minister-for Justice gavo some of his attention to tlio bailiffs at the. Magistrate's Court. There aro two of those, and there is work enough for six. Day after clay business men and professional men aro compelled to visit tho Magistrate's Court, and wasto their time, through summonses not haying been served. Cases sot 'down for hearing aro adjourned over and ovor again to give the'bailiffs timo to servo the defendants. No doubt, at times, they have far too muck to do. In tho meantime the public suffers. A groat deal of unnecessary work also is thrown 011 tho Court. In other parts of tho world any one of moral character can qualify as a bailiff. Large offices with- a great deal of work of this nature invariably liavo a bailiff qualified, and 110 is allowed tho fees in connection with tho summonses. There aro an avorago of 6000 summonses put through in Wellington annually. Tho fee for sorvicc runs from 3s. 6d. to 55., ,so that it can easily be seon that- there is' "money in tho game." Some drastic chango should bo made. At present tho public suffer and the Court suffers. The income from summonses is quiio sufficient to justify another bailiff or two, and if tho Government do not seo fit to make additional appointments, soino regulations should bo drafted, which would permit the payment of foes to any one willing to servo summonses. —I am, etc.,

i . JUSTICE. . [This latter was reforrcd to Mr. Gordon, who lias charge of the staff of bailiffs at the Magistrate's Court. Ho stated that the writer was misinformed 011 tho subject. In the first place, there are three, not two, bailiffs.- Cortainly, they have plenty to do, but they are not overworked. It is. truo enough that a number of summonses are not served, but if.a bailiff takes fifty out, it would be strange if ho did not return with about ten per cent, of them, as somo of tho persons might be ;dea.d, others left, and others again out of town. If 'inconvenience was caused as a result ot this, complaint could bo made', but ho had received no complaints and ho had never returned a single summons without marking the reason on a slip attached. . The Court fee for tho issue of a summons was 3s. for amounts up to £5, and rising to 30s. for £200. This money went in stamps, and the bailiffs received nothing of it. They were salaried officers, and tho only fee thoy got was when they had to doliver a summons over two miles. TJp to. that distance no fee was chargeable.]