NEW PETONE COURTHOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1128, 16 May 1911, Page 7

NEW PETONE COURTHOUSE.

OFFICIAL OPENING. The new Courthouse- at Petouo was officially opened yesterday morning by Dr. M'Arthur, S.M. There was a fair attendance of the public, and associated with his Worship on the Bench wero the following Justices of the Peace :-Messrs. J. W. M'Ewan, Coles, Southgate, Short, and Caverliill. , Before the business of the Court opened Mr. M'Ewan, at tho request'.of Dr. M'Arthur, addressed those present. He stated that he was very pleased to be present at the opening of the new Court, which was, indeed, a decided acquisition to. the town. Some years ago residents of Petono had to either travel to Lower Hutt or to Wellington when they had legal business to transact. ■ Subsequently tho Borough Council decided to rent the Oddfellows" flail', and tu <M«i it 'o the Justice Department, which offer had been accepted. That arrangement, however, was only a makeshift, and was also found to be very inconvenient. The Justice Department then decided to build the present Courthouse, with which ho was 6ure thev were all well pleased. Mr. K. Mothes expressed practically the same opinion as the former speaker. Residents of Petone, ho stated, were very pleased at the action of the Department in providing them with such a handsome building. . Dr. M'Arthur referred briefly to (■• progress made by Petone and the Hutt. it always gave him pleasure to preside over the Courts in that district, and h* mentioned how, when Mr. W. G. Riddell had been appointed assistant-magistrate at Wellington, he (Dr. M'Arthur) had been given the choice of work. He had chosen tho civil work, as it was not nearly so unpleasant as the criminal work, but he had stinulated that he must not be deprived of his visits to the Hutt district. He then referred to the inconvenience winch u«cd to be experienced at tho Oddfellows' Hall when the sittings wero held there, but added that the inadequacy of tho building had never affected tho discharge of justice. At .the same time, however, it did not- conduce to the proper administration of the law. In concluding; ho expressed pleasure at liaving Justices of tho Peace associated with him on tho Bench. The Court is a rather handsome brick building, well-lighted, and provided with all conveniences. Tt is situated in E'iza- ; beth Street, and measures 45ft. * Mi., with a court-room -loft, x 20ft. There is also a witness-room, a large public office, and a magistrate's room.