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Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 18, 21 July 1932, Page 10

Magistrates and Affidavits. 7 The view that it was'undesirable for a Magistrate or "other inferior judicial officer" in certain proceedings to make au affidavit upon disputed matters of fact, was expressed by the Chief Justice (Sir Michaol Myers) in a reserved judgment in a case heard by tho Court of Appeal recently. "I do not say that lie should never in any such case make an affidavit," said his Honour, ".but I do say that it is undesirable for him to do-so save in unavoidable circumstances or where the Superior Court requests information from him. The rea-^ sons aro obvious. Such an affidavit may vetjr well be a cause of serious embarrassment. -Not only that, but'every deponent tvho makes an affidavit is liable to be cross-examined, and a judicial officer should not be placed in this position if it can be avoided. Generally speaking, there is no need for the Magistrate to make .an affidavit, because the, Clerk of the Court is usually present throughout the hearing,', and there aro generally others present who, as well as the Clerk of tho-Court, can depose to the facts." Tobacco Growing in Canterbury. Arrangements for a trial plot of tobacco to be grown P Canterbury have been made'pby"7f;he Disabled Soldiers' Re-establishment. Committee (states the "Christchurch Star"). Atthe meeting of the committee on Tuesday .the chairman. (Mr.-H. Holland, M.P.), reported that a Canterbury farmer had „ undertaken 'to grow half an acre of tobacco plant and'submit the leaf to manufacturers, with tho idea of, ascertaining whether it could be grown successfully in this province. Mr. Holland added that be had interviewed' the Minister (the Hon. E." A. Ransom), who, while not giving a definite undertaking that the Government would stand behind the committee if there were any loss incurred through the experiment, was inclined to favour tobacco growing rather than the cultivation of passion fruit, as a means of placing disabled soldiers on small farms. New Scenic Drive. When the thirty-mile gap in tho new West Coast highway over the Lewis Pass is completed, it will open up one of tho finest forests of red, brown, and white beech in the whole of New Zealand (states the Christchurch "Press"). The Conservator of State Forests, Mr. W. G. Morrison, said that, in his opinion; it would be the most beautiful motor drive in tho South Island; Mr. Morrison has made the trip over the pass on several occasions. He described the route—turning off the Hanmcr road at the Ferry bridge and following the south bank of the Waiau to the Glenwye Station; thence on horseback or afoot up the Hopo River, crossing the Boyle to the junction of the Lewis. The track then followed the Lewis, crossing and recrossing ftio river a score of times} on tho way to the pass. /'From a scenic point of view- the route is magnificent, with tho bush, forest, and mountain scenery, on both sides, of the divide," continued Mr. Morrison, "li/o. 'road, which is completed on the West Coast side, will give, ready access to tho hot springs at Maruia. and there is a great deal of good land in the Maruia Valley.'There is a tremendous area of beech forest on both sides of tho divide, amounting to p300,000 acres or moro. I know df no better type of red beech than there is up there."