JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 93, 17 March 1927, Page 11

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

METHOD OF APPOINTMENT. PRESENT SYSTEM FAVOURED. WELLINGTON, March 16. At the meeting last night of the Wellington Justices’ . Association a remit to the Dominion Conference in favour of altering the system whereby justices of the peace are nominated and appointed was heavily defeated. 'The motion, introduced by Mr I. Salek, registrar of the Wellington association, was as follows:—“That the Government be recommended to require a magistrate in each magisterial district to form a board consisting of one magistrate, one police officer, and three justices of the peace, who shall recommend to the Government appointments to the Commission of the Peace, thereby relieving the Government of any unfair criticism to the • effect that appointments are made of political supporters. Further, that the said board shall also be a tribunal to advise the Government regarding the cancellation of appointments.” The mover said that in Australia the same question was agitating the public mind, and a similar board was suggested there. In the last 50 years no attempt had been made to bring the system of appointing justices of the peace up to date, and the time had arrived to make a change if the dignity of the Commission of the Peace were to be maintained on a proper level. He disclaimed any suggestion that religious, social position, or political colour came into present-day appointments. But they had a right to secure the' best personnel available. (Hear, hear.) After a short discussion, in which the opinion was advanced that the Cabinet was in a better position to decide on the fitness of the appointees than the board suggested, the motion was decisively defeated.