The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1924. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1924, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1924. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

There will be a gathering at Wellington on Monday which will certainly be unique, inasmuch as it will consist, for the first time in the history of the Dominion, of Justices of the Peace, drawn from all ‘ the federated branches of the Association in all parts of the country. This conference may be regarded as a sure indication that members of the unpaid branch of the judiciary have at length realised the importance of thgir work and a very gratifying desire to raise its standard in order to be of greater service to the country. Obviously if this desire is to materialise there must be important changes in the system of appointing justices, in order to secure the services of those who are much better fitted for the duties of the position than heretofore. The system of making many of these appointments as the result of political influence, and on the reports of the police stands selfcondemned. One of the principal subjects for discussion at Monday’s conference concerns this blot on the present system, and advocates that the names of all nominees for the office of J.P. shall be submitted to the Justices Association in the district where the proposed appointee resides, for the purpose of consideration and report. While this innovation is a forward move and may well meet with a favourable reception, it would seem that if there is to be a raising of the status of these justices that other steps are needed. One of the proposals on the agenda advocates that one of the tests of eligibility for the office shall be that, a candidate must have performed some appreciable public service. The question at once arises as to what kind of service is referred to, and on this point all sorts of views may exist. While the performance of a public service may mean much or little it does not necessarily follow that such service is an indication of fitness for the duty of administering justice. It would seem there is a real desire on the part of those justices who take an intelligent interest in the performance of their duties that both the personnel and status should be raised to a level worthy of the Dominion and its courts. This aspiration, worthy and commendable, can possibly be attained by re-modelling the whole system in vogue at present. In the first place it may be argued that either the names of proposed appointees should be submitted by the various branches of the federation of justices to the central body or to the Minister direct, the former being preferable as it should act as the mouthpiece of the whole body of justices. Those who succeed in obtaining approval, might then, before the appointment is confirmed, be required to personally interview a committee consisting of two Justices of the Peace and the president (or other selected member of the local Law Society, not to test his legal knowledge, but to ascertain whether his faculties are such as would be likely to do credit to the administration of justice. If some such steps were taken, and justices were encouraged to take an interest in qualifying themselves for their work, it might reasonably be expected that they would, in the course of time, be able to considerably relieve Stipendiary Magistrates from much of their routine work and so enable them to devote more time to contested or serious eases. A suggestion has been formulated that much benefit would accrue from justices being allowed to sit on the bench during the hearing of cases by the Stipendiary Magistrates, not to rake part in the proceedings, but to gain experience as well ns dignity. It would also be advantageous for a room to be available for justices, (other in the Courthouse or some other public building, where they could transact business and increase their knowledge of matters pertaining to their office. No doubt these and other kindred matters will be discussed at the conference, which will mark a welcome advance in a most important department of the State.