WADE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3025, 6 April 1867, Page 5

WADE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

THB usual stir and bustle occasioned by the fair and races has long since subsided, and the niuch-wished-for fall of rain has enabled the plough to make many a- new clearing look more farm-like. Houses and ■hanties have sprung upin theinterim, and we really begin now to appear somewhat like a wellpopnlated district. The only event of any note since the races^ has been another meeting of our local Justices ; but as the case brought" 'before them has already been fully detailed, I not particularise it. The decision, however, in this case, as far as I have learned — for I am not quite certain of the facts— appears but a poor return for an act of good -nature. A storekeeper or publican, having been requested to look after and take charge of some mislaid goods, did so at 'some trouble and inconvenience to himself, and, haying recovered the goods, had sent to the owners to remove them without delay, which was not done. In the meanwhile, however, his store was feloniously entered at night, and a portion of the goods in question stolen. The question to be decided by the Justices was if the storekeeper was to refund, the loss or not, and they decided that he was. In the pld country this would not or could not be the result, for in the first place prompt measures on the instant of a report of the felony would have been taken (which, in this case, though immediately reported to the Justices, was entirely neglected) ; and secondly, a loss occasioned by felonious or malicious injury would have been levied— either by voluntary subscription amongst the settlers, or from the county t«x or funds. In another matter we are defective as to the due administration of justice in our local districts ; for, as I read Borne time ago in your paper, previous to the appointment of country Justices, very few cases were ever heard of as being brought into Auckland for jurisdiction ; and now that these country Courts are opened, very many cases of trifling import, but nevertheless tending to much ill feeling amongst the settlers, are brought before them . And this leads me to the conclusion that the fault is not in the opening such Conrts, but in the conduct of the Justices; for it appears to me that they mistake their position, and in place of being Justices of the Peace, or, in other words, to make peace, they rather consider it incumbent on them to be Justices of law, and rather encourage litigation than by every effort in their power check a love of litigation inherent in our nature, and by acting as Justices to promote peace and good wtyl, — prefer to have the eclat of a court for mutual invective and ill-feeling, whereas kindly advice and private judgment of the case to the complainants would, in nine cases out of ten, make peace and good will.

"Vert Sbvere ! — A reverend •portaman was once boMtiag of his infallible skill in finding a hare. "If," ■aid * Quaker vrho wm present, "I were a hare, I irottf4«t»ke S&y *e»fc ia a place where I «h«uld, be fimLof^otCbeioe.diarurbed by thee from the .first, ot Janoarjr to the last of December*" " Why, where yrotpl yoa,go ?" • « Into thy, study,*'