DOGBERRY ON THE BENCH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 800, 25 April 1910, Page 4

DOGBERRY ON THE BENCH.

Sir,—Your report of the City Council on magisterial remarks is'interesting, and. the council'is to be commended for supporting its', employees. ■ Tho practice of some of our magistrates of talking for the newspapers does. not add to respect for the Bench. It it a mode of playing to the gallery which, to say the least, is undignified. No doubt the practice originated, from the frequency with which the remarks of *he late. Judge Richmond were quoted by tho papers; but the legal attainments, high personal character,. and sense of humour of, that respected judge . gave bim. a privilege which should not be extended -to any feeble imitators. I . have myself heard, remarks' made by a magistrate from the Bench of a most unwarranted character as reflecting on individuals; and it can only bo owing to .the immunity from contradiction which the magistrate's . position affords, that any of them should venture to make comments" which, if made iri the. street, would .promptly be followed by .personal chastisement. • ' '

. There is no reason' why. a magisterial court should not be hold in as much respect as any other Courti ' and 'it depends upon the idiosyncrasies of any magistrate to make it so .or othertwise without aspiring to say, "I - dm .Sir Oracle, and when I. open my mouth, letno dog bark."—l am, etc., * ~ - justice.