IMPROVING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12767, 13 April 1910, Page 4

IMPROVING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

The Minister of Justice might with advantage note a suggestion thrown out at Auckland a few days ago by Mr G C. Kettle, S.M., for. effecting an improvement in our judicial system and thus relieving magistrates from the heavy and vexatious responsibilities of determining, unaided, perplexing questions of fact. N£, doubt, said Mr Kettle, the jurisdicltio-n of tho lower Courts would be extended as time went on, and the magistrates would be given the power possessed by judges of District Courts, of summoning a jury of four to hear and try questions of fact. If the parties wish, ed it, or the Court wished it, he thought there should be some method by which a settlement of questions of fact could be so arrived at. He had always thought that power should be given to magistrates to call in the aid of sworn assessors, or a jury of four, and that such an addition to magistrates' powers would make for the lm. provement of our judicial system. He remarked, also, that while the Act of 1893 granted "ordinary" jurisdiction to all magistrates, and provided for "extended!' jurisdiction to be given to some magistrates by proclamation, no appointment of a magistrate -as entitled to ■■ exercise "special" jurisdiction had ever been gazetted, and this in spite of the fact that members of the legal profession had on various occasions asked that it should be given. Personally, he thought it would be desirable to litigants, who might have cases heard more promptly and it would save the Supreme Court the trouble of deciding petty cases. sTThe "special" jurisdiction referredio gives magistrates power to hear and determine partnership cases where the amount involved is not more than £200, actions to recover damages for false imprisonment, illegal arrest, or for breach of promise of marriage.: It also gives. power to decide suits to -recover specific bequests, and to grant injections in certain cases.— "Wangamii Herald."-.