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Mataura Ensign, 18 July 1913, Page 5

The Magistrate's Court Act Amendment Hill (Hon. A. L. Herdiman), which was circulated, yesterday, is an am ending measure wihch raiises and extends the scope of tho Magistrate's Court, and awards the magistrates. increased and standardised salaries. It is provided that hereafter no person shall be appointed a magistrate who is not a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court of not lees than five years standing. This is a slight clianga from the 1908 Act, by clause 6even of which the Governor could appoint any "fit and proper person to exercise the ordinary jurisdiction of the court, white those exercising the extended jurisdiction were required to be either barristers of solicitors of five years' standing. or to have been magistrates under tho 1893 Act for five years. It is further provided that from the passing of the Act every magistrate shall receive £7OO per year, while the principal magistrates in Auckland; Wellington, Christehurchi and Dunedin will receive £BOO per year. These provisions are not to reduce the existing salaries of any magistrates. The civil jurisdiction of the court is enlarged so as to include ix>wer to deal with claims not exceeding £2OO (£IOO in the present Act) for breach of contract, tort, debt, partnership accounts, attachment of debt, and the enforcement of claims upon and recovery of possession of soma specific moveable property of a value not exceeding £2OO.