JUSTICES-OF THE PEACE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1736, 6 September 1919, Page 4

JUSTICES-OF THE PEACE.

FAREWELL MR T. A. B. BAILEY, S.M.

I With thq, object of saying good-bye to i Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., who has been | appointed Stipendiary Magistrate at I New Plymouth, members of the Canterbury Jiistices of the Peace Association assembled in strength at the Cadena Tea Rooms yesterday afternoon. In addition to the guest of honour, there was also present Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M. Mr H. Langford presided. The chairman said that, during the 10 and a-half years Mr Bailey had been with them, they had all learned t0»lovc and respect him. The department had chosen well in promoting Mr Bailey, and their loss in Christchurch would be the gain of the people among whom he was going. Mr Bailey had been an able magistrate, and he believed that even the accused people who had come before Mr Bailey felt friendly towards him. The law was a necessary evil, and the great thing was to have it perfectly administered. On behalf of his brother Justices, he wished Mr Bailey Godspeed. Messrs G. E. Good and H. B. Sorensen also spoke eulogistieally of Mr Bailey's services.

Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., said that he could testify to the many fine qualities of Mr Bailey, both as a magistrate and as a man. Not only should a magistrate be an able man, with a knowledge of the world and an impartial man, but he must abo convey the impression of being impartial. No matter how impartial a magistrate might be, if he did not seem to be. fair and impartial he would 'destroy his usefulness in that office. In all of these respects Mr Bailey had succeeded. On the call of the chairman, cheers were given for Mr Bailey, those present singing "For he's a jolly good fellow. ''

Replying, Mr Bailey said that that day was one that he would Ions: remember. He -had been much affected that morning, when visiting Darfield, to find that so many Justices of the district had left their farms to come and wish him good-bye. Similarly, he felt honoured indeed that so many busines men had come there that afternoon to wish him God-speed. His first

appointment was to Christchurch, and he had learned many things during his stay here. British justice was the fairest justice in the world. It was a difficult thing to live up to the high conceptions expressed in British justice, but he had done his best. He thanked the Justices for the assistance they had rendered him. In swearing-in the Justices in the country courts he had always told them not to be afraid to ask him for any advice of assistance they might require. He thanked them one and all for the kindness they had shown him that afternoon. (Applause.)