(PUBLISHED DAILY.)

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2395, 6 April 1893, Page 2

(PUBLISHED DA ILY. )

THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1893.

JUDICIAL ARRANGEMENTS.

It is time that something was done at leaet to strengthen the J.P. roll in Hawera, Daring the last few months several gentlemen whose services were available have left the district either permanently or temporarily, and there are now bat foar available for duty. All of them are extremely busy men, and two of them, by reason of the nature of their business, are very frequently oat of town on coart days. There has therefore been

considerable difficulty lately in getting a bench on occasions. On Wednesday, for instance, there was only one gentleman to be found, and in consequence cases which had been set down had to be adjourned. The anticipated delay and the expense were very provoking, and it was not a matter for surprise that grumbling was both loud and deep. However, fortunately a J.P. from afar, who happened to be visiting tbe town, was pressed into tbe service, and later in tbe day a court was constituted and the business disposed of. At least more town justices should be appointed, but a better remedy would be to appoint a stipendiary magistrate, resident here, to take up court work at Hawera and in the surrounding distrust. As a centre it is most convenient. Almost any pait of tbe coast between Wanganui and New Plymouth, inclusive, can be reached by the ordinary trains on any day in time to take court work at the usual hour for commencing such work. That there is work for such an officer tbere can be no doubt. Mr Kettle, 8.M., happens to be blessed with a more than ordinary amount of energy and staying power, and he gets through pretty well, but at times there is a most unjudicial scurry. The tendlnoy with the profession, and very properly so, is to reserve as many caßes as possible for the decision of tbe trained magistrate, and though this lightens the work of the J.Pr's tbe question arises, How long can Mr Kettle stand the strain ? Sooner or later tbe question of better provision must be faced.