ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21977, 12 June 1933, Page 9

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your issue of to-day the Minister of Justice (Mr J. G. Cobbe) is reported to have told the executive of the Canterbury Justices of the P,eace Association the astounding fact that “at Home a stipendiary magistrate is very seldom a lawyer, being usually a retired soldier and the bulk of the work is done by the justices of the peace, who are on the bench with him.” Such is, however, absolutely contrary to the true facts, or was so 12 years ago, and, I believe, is so still. At Home they have (1) the country court for small civil causes only, with limited jurisdiction and primarily created for poor persons. (2) The magistrates’ court, presided over by a stipendiary (otherwise paid) magistrate, who is always a trained lawyer, with his clerk, usually also a trained lawyer, for criminal cases only; and (3) petty sessions, presided over by a certain number of justices of the peace, and guarded against mistake, so far as possible, by their clerk, almost invariably a trained lawyer also, for criminal cases only and local matters. A chairman is appointed, but is by no means usually a retired soldier, though one such might well serve, but some man of standing, well known in the neighbourhood for sound common sense and business capacity. I write as the matter ig becoming of public interest, and merely to suggest that it would be a great pity to commence reorganisation upon a totally wronjj precedent, the adoption of which would; in all probability, cause much loss of judicial time and money to the community.—l am, etc., Arthur E. Sykes. St. Hilda, June 9.