CHOOSING JUSTICES

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 April 1922, Page 2

CHOOSING JUSTICES

BETTER METHOD WANTED. The method followed in ‘he sppeintment of justices of the peace d suggestions for an improvement in this direction were the subject of some remarks by Mr I. Salek at the annual meeting of the Justices’ Association in Wellington. The association, he said, had made overtures to the Government that it should be allowed to report upon candidates for the oflice. The procedure he understood, was that names were handed by members of Parliament to the Government, and these were afterwards passed on to a magistrate and the police for them to report on. The council was of the opinion that it could render a report of as great, if not greater, value than that of the police. The appointees were drawn from the commercial classes and it stood to reason that they were in a better position to know the characteristics of a candidate. He thought this a matter of convenience ; they would not raise an objection unless on very strong grounds, and the Government could surely trust them in this matter. The Government, ho understood, was not very anxious to accede to this request. It considered that the question involved a good deal of principle. Still, the council would be in a better position to report on the financial position, the business reputation, and' general character of the man than either magistrate or police.