OUR MAGISTRATE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 23 December 1880, Page 2

OUR MAGISTRATE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE OAMART7 MAIL. Sir, —I observe that our Resident Magistrate has given his decision in Russell's case for stealing iQopey out of a

till in a public-house in this tovh.- " The charge was fully proved, by »videnco adduced at the trial, and there is not the slightest doubt that had "Russell haft, time he would have decamped with the moaey. For his offence he received only 4 dtys' imprisonment. Now, sir, it is only'» week ar two ago that business myatteindance at the Resident Magistrate's Court, when this man Russell was brought up for attempting to break into his wife's house (who previously had obtained from the R.M. a protection warrant against him) with a chisel or some such intarument. Mr. Johnston was defending the prisoner and had to* prove that the husband had a perfect right to trespass on the property of his wife, notwithstanding the protection order. His Worship, however, overruled thia defence, and told Mr. Johnston, in very plain terms, what he thought of the. prisoner, which, I can assure ypu, sir, was: not very favorable, the R.Mi evidentlyappearing to know him. But, putting aIH this aside, and supposing the Magistrate had never seen the prisoner before, iB this last sentence a just one to pass on a man for deliberate, robbery. It appears to me, Bir, that the government might as well withdraw our police force altogether, as, when they do get a case here, they are invariably snubbed by the Resident Magistrate, t .would, like you to review the sly-grog oases that were heard here some timo back by looking up your files. You will! then see that some absurd decisions wero given by the Resident Magistrate in these cases. It would not be difficult for any resident in Oamaru to write pages concerning the decisions of our Resident Magistrate. It was rumored some time ago that he >vas to be removed, and if he were supplanted most of the residents of this district would think it a perfect God-send,, as there are numbers of us, sir, who do. not wish a premium to be held out to. commit prime. Hoping that you will take, up the matter—l am, &c., i A Lover of Justice,.