MAGISTERIAL JURISDICTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL JURISDICTION.

(Faoit Our Own Correspondent.} AUCKLAND, March 23. The wider jurisdiction which is ye? by year being given to magistrates deciding questions of fact was comments on by Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., at ttt Auckland Magistrate's Court this afternoon. He expressed the opinion that if two sworn assessors were presen to assist the court in such cases, or failing this a jury of four, it would be an improvement. The question, however, he said, was one which the Minister of Jus-, tice and the Law Society should decide. Mr Kettle also referred to the appointment of magistrates to exercise special jurisdiction in various matters. Thi3 is provided for in "The Magistrates Court Act, 1893," but no such appointments have up to the present been made. . M e Kettle pointed out that if such jurisdiction was sanctioned, judges of tho Supreme Court could be relieved from a great deal of work. Magistrates sc; gazetted would then, he said, be able to deal with disputes concerning partnership accounts and claims for pecuniary compensation for false imprisonment, illegal arrest, libel, and slander, not exceeding £2OO. They could also exercise all the powers of a judge of the SuDreme Court for dealing >vith the arrest of persons about in nuit the country.