POLICE EVIDENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 49, 26 February 1918, Page 7

POLICE EVIDENCE

MAGISTRATE SUPPORTED BY BOROUGH COUNCILS.'

.Before commencing the ordinary business at last evening's meeting of the Petone Borough Council, the Mayor (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) asked the indulgence, of tile council to move the following—"That tins council notes with regret that, according to newspaper reports, dissatisfaction has been expressed amongst a certain section of the legal profession at the decisions given by one of the city Stipendiary Magistrates, and it desires to place on record the fact that since the Magistrate in question has occupied the Bench the results of his decisions are quite apparent in this town. The council is of opinion that he gives a careful and impartial hearing to the cases brought before him, and administers justice without fear or favour, and he ha-s the entire confidence of the council; and further, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Justice." In support of the motion the Mayor said —"Statements had been made by certain legal gentlemen in high position in reference to a city Magistrate in a certain class of case, and it was asserted that the Magistrate was too- prone' to rely on the evidence of the police. In a very important case recently before the Court of Appeal the police evidence ivas held to be reliable and trustworthy. ' The statement ms.de was one of those bald statements which ought not to have been made .unless there had been something to back it up." The Mayor proceeded to criticise the action of a section of the legal fraternity in attempting to interfere with the Magistrate, and said it was the first time he had noticed an attack of the kind, and thought it time the council put its foot down and said, "You are not the judges in this case.". Councillor Cox seconded the motion. In reply to a suggestion that the Magistrate was sometimes severe, the Mayor replied that there were times when, if offenders were to be deterred from crime, the penalties must be severe. Councillor Chnrchouse criticised the methods of the police in the detection of ; breaches of the liquor laws. Councillor Cox sail? it was time the council took a' stand when we had one section of the community discussing decisions of the Bench. The motion was carried unanimously.

At the meeting of the Lower, Hutt Borough Council last evening the Mayor (Mr. H. Baldwin) stated that there were rumours going round the city, and also the Hutt district, that an effort was being made by certain people to get a, Stipendiary Magistrate removed from the district. The only reason for this agitation was because the Magistrate was too straight, and it was the duty of all right-thinking people who wanted to see justice done to protest. The Magistrate had the confidence of all law-abiding citizens. He moved that the council protest against any movement to have him removed from the district. Councillor Ward seconded. He had heard there was to be a determined -effort made to remove the Magistrate. The person who had done no wrong need not fear. It was only the evil-doers that feared him, and the counsel who were defending them. It had been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that owing to the_ severe penalties imposed by the Magistrate mentioned the adulteration of milk had almost disappeared. It was only the wrong-doers who would like to see him shifted. Councillor Kerr thought they should wait and hear more before they took action. The motion was carried.'