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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6542, 5 April 1882, Page 3

The “joke magisterial," if I may so call it, is at best a very poor attempt at jocularity. It is a one elded affair, made as a rule by some sleek and well: fed member of the “ great unpaid” at the expense of some poor devil in the grip of the law, Here is a case in point. A few days ago an old woman, wretched looking and trembling, stood in the dock to answer a charge of larceny. The evidence was conclusive, but the poor thing protested her innocence, and in the course of her remarks mentioned Mr Keid of the Gaol as being able to prove that she had not committed the theft she was accused of. “ Ah, well,” replied the jocular J.P., “ I think you had better go and see Mr Reid for three months,” and the prisoner was removed. The greasy looking Court audience was immediately tickled, and the magistrate was well pleased with himself. It is to be hoped that a taste for this sort of thing will not grow, for with rival wits occupying the Bench on different days, there is no knowing what the result will be. We may even come up to the American standard, and

some day hear a prisoner sentenced something after the following manner ; “ John Jones, I think you had better drop a line to your wife and tell her you are not likely to be home to dinner for thirty days. She might be anxious, you know or, “ Mary, in three short months the sweet spring flowers ; will raise their tiny heads, but yen’ll not be there to see them. You’ll go np for six months. Bijab, cart her out.” I only give these as examples. Possibly some of our J.P.’s may be able to improve on them,—“ Asmodeus,” in the N.Z. Mail.