TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 10 February 1909, Page 2

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

■ ■ »-'-*'. The vagaries of some Of those who have. been appointed to magistrate and the Commission of justices. the Peace* are often subject of pointed comment, but the latest recorded development is one to which wide attention should bo drawn. Mr G. C. Kettle; S.M., at Auckland, made a reference to it from the Bench on Tuesday. It seems that a practice has grown up :n tho northern city at least by which Justices of the Peace attend at the Court at the request of lawyers to hear certain cases. One could easily imagine that this system might lead to a most reprehensible state of things, and eventually to the packing of the bench by partisans. Mr Kettle intends, however, to nip the development in the bud. "Some time ago," remarked the magistrate, "I had reason to point out that Justices of the peace should not attend the Court for the purpose of sitting on special cases merely at the invitation of solicitors or others interested. I regret to say that order has been broken." Mr Kettle went- on to say that the Act provided for the issuing of printed summonses to those who would be called upon in rotation so far as possible. If unable to attend the justices might appoint- substitutes, but these latter should produce their summonses in order to establish their authority, Mr Kettle intends, in the event of further cause for complaint, to refer the matter to the Law Society, and Justice Department,