MAGISTRATE'S COURT RETURNS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 6

MAGISTRATE'S COURT RETURNS.

INCREASE IN CIVIL BUSINESS. CRIMINAL CASES DIMINISH. The return of business transacted at the Magistrate's Court for the quarter ended en Wednesday shows a considerable increase on the civil side, and a falling off in criminal cases as compared with the figures for the March quarter of 1008. Although the civil cases heard do not appear to shoiv an increase, cases that are calculated in last year's figures are not taken in this year's reckoning, which does not include cases struck out and confessed. CRIMINAL. On the criminal sida of the Court the figures are as follow, totals for the corresponding period last year being given in parentheses:— Persons taken into custody, male 1053 (1331;, female 181 (110); discharged for want of prosecution or want of evidence, 88 (12S), 11 (7); dismissed on merits, 36 (41), 5 (1); committed for trial or sentence, 21 (20), 6 (2); summarily convicted, 308 (1142), 162 (100); fined, 407 (486), 37 (28); inprisonment in lien of fine or sv.iety. 126 (297), 2G (8); peremptorily imprisoned, 92 (100), 27 (10); whipped, 4 (4), 0 (0); bound over, 2 (2), 0 (0); orders made, 126 (123), 50 (41); convicted and discharged, 151 (130), 22 (13). The amouqt of criminal fees aaid in stamps was £72 75., .\s against ,£ll6 13s. for the March quarter last I year. The amount of fines paid in stamps was I .£335 Is., as against .£452. Total, .£407 % (.£568 135.). THE CIVIL SIDE. The civil side i.f the Court shows that 669 cases were heard, as against 1001 last year. These were as follow:—Ordinary jurisdiction. 659 (10-18); extended jurisdiction, 10 (43); aggregate amount sued for, 4131,366 Is. Bd. (.£22,60S lis. 2d.); aggregate amount recovered, .£14,360 lis. 6d. (.£11,721 Bs. lOd.); applications heard. Ill) (121); orders mado other than on judgment summons, 113 (107); plaints entered, 1964 (1469); distress warrants issued, 246 (199); orders on judgment summons, 70 (50); warrants of committal issued, 8 (7); writs of arrest, 9 (4); summonses and other processes served within two miles, 973 (692); same served over two miles, 303 (242); distress warrants executed within two miles, 18 (58); same over two miles, 35 (25); warrants o; committal executed, 6 (7); amount of civil fees paid in stamps, 01398 6s. (<£loo4 125.); amount of licensing fees paid in stamps, .£ll 3s. (.£5 95.). OLD ,\GE PENSIONS. The number of old age pensions granted was 270 (231); refused, 7 (5).