GRIEVANCES AT THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4471, 17 June 1876, Page 3

GRIEVANCES AT THE RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Before the commencement of the Kesident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, Mr Lewis called attention to certain irregularities connected with the service of summonses. There was also some rule of the Court which prevented members of the Bar from getting any information from the Court. There was no doubt that the present officers of the Court were efficient, but it seemed ihut the bailiff's assistants were insufficient for the work.

Hi* Worship ."aid he wm quite aware that bolu the members of the profession and. thiise of the puMic who did not employ professional men. in this Court had for some time, past been subjected to inconvenience. Ho was perfectly aware that there were good, grounds for the compliant now made. In. order to obviate any ciiiiip];t.intu[K)n that score, ho received authority Mima Lime ago to iimiiloy an additional bailiff during the press of. iLu work. That uUtiviaUil

the cnuse of tho cojipiaint to Home extent. However, this extra bailiff had got notics that his services were no longer required. _ The whole matter would be carefully investigated and reported to the Minister of Justice.- He (Mr .). Uathgate) would thank any inetnber of the profession who in lii« own case wnH Hiibjnctcil to annoyance throi'gh delay or irregularity at oneo to make n uomiiliiint in writin;,' to tho Court, and ho (Mr BatUgato,wotild take cum that tha matter would ha properly enquirod into. Ho was anxioiw to know really whether tho present KtalF can properly di! the work incumbent upon them, or whether I extra assistance ia retjuired. He was not yet able to como to a decision. Ho had t\ return just now which the bailiff had bunded in to him this morning. There ho found that during the last four months one ossihtaut-bailiff (Aitkon) had served .'»( summonses boUiiiging to the town and '17 country mmiincnHos. The tempi nary bailiff (Stathiim) hud wrved .'MS town and 7'J country suinmonKUM. Tho principal bailiff (Barnes) had served 27 in town, and fivo in tho country during tho same period. lUh timo, to a great extent, ought to bo taken up in tho Court. Had it not been for tho assistance that tho Polico had ronderod, they would not have had a bailiff in tho Court at all. During tho four mouths ending Juno thoro had been 138 distross warrants put into execution by thu principal bailiff, and that morothan accounted for his time. lie( Mr ISuthgatc) could tiny that the work was very heavy, with a tendency to iucieaHo. Ho would make special enquiry into tho subject. In order that ho might bo supported, it was for the mention) of the profession and tlio public wbo havo been jnconvenioTiced, to lot him know in wri.ing. Mr Stowiirt referred to the contiuual dolay in tho ofl'ico of the Court when tho profession were getting executions issued. Tliu bailiff covju not overtake tho service. When tho work was very much loss than it is now, thero was a larger staff than there is at present: It was a physical impossibility for tho staff with tho clerical assistance in the ofllco to overtake the work, more especially after the District Court has been brought into operation, and tho same official* are employed. In order to expedite tho business, -work which should hay« boon demo by the 'Court officials had been dono in his (Mr Stewart's) ofllco. He merely expressed the opinion of the whole; of the profession, when ho said tbat somo radical change was required to expedite the business. The remarks he made were merely to. the effect that tbe staff should bo increased. He did not cost atty' reflections upon tho existing staff. Tho bailiff's department required to be- augmented. He (Mr Stewart) hod no doubt that the profession would, support H» Worship irJ any leoommendatioh that ho mitfit make to the Government on the subject. There was tio doubt that the present' accommodation was altogether insufficient. For instance, when ono or two persona were in the offko they could scarcely move, and if another party arrived he would be lucky if lie could get a look at the Clerk through the pigeon-holes. His Worship was quite aware of tho truth of what had been stated Tho work could not havo been overtaken by the present officials, had not Komo of the work been taken- Home. He trusted thai they would sooii have hotter and larger accommodation. Iv the beginning of next month payinenfof fees would be made by stamp. At present a great, deal of timrs wa» occupied in the department by keeping the accounts, aud this would be oWiatvd by doing away with cash payments. The whole matter would be carefully considered. The (spirit of the Act was,"economy and despatch.." In Resident Magistrates' Courts the work should be efficiently, economically, Mid, qiuqkly conducted. It would be his endeavour to carry out this point.