Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1414, 21 December 1887, Page 2

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLDFIELDS REPORTER AND AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

The conduct of the Justices in dealing with the case, Police v. Draper, at the R.M. Court on Monday morning, cannot be spoken of too strongly. Justices' justice has become a bye- word in New Zealand ; in Lawrence it promises to develop into something worse. W. Draper was summoned by the polios for some breach of the Act regulating slaughteryards. He had engaged a solicitor to defend him, had his witnesses subpoenaed, and was in every way prepared to mcc' the charge brought against him. No sooner was the case called than Mr Harrop, who occupied the Bench in conjunction with Mr Fraer, announced that it was adjourned till 9th January. Mr Orooke, who appeared for defendant, asked upon what grounds the adjournment was granted 1 Mr Harrop replied : " Magistrates don'fc give reasons." If this ia the extent of Me Harrop'a know ledge of court procedure, it is certainly very limited ; and it would be a subject for mirth were ifc not the grave injustice to the public which it implies. When neither party applied for an adjournment, and the B^nch had some particular reason of its own for adjourning the case, it was clearJy their duty to state what that reason was ; but for the Benoh to answer a civil and most reasonable question in a tone of such uncalled-for incivility is a matter which should not be lightly passed over and we sincerely trust in the interests of justice and common courtesy it will not occur again. It is a matter which the public should take cognisance of ; for if such a proceeding on the part of magistrates is to become recognised, an injustice will be imposed on suitors at once costly and despotic.

It is a matter of regret that there is not time to have the despotic action of the Taieri County Council in imposing a £5 penalty on all wool-carriers using their roads brought before Parliament this session, and the Act so amended as to put !an end to this kind of thing in future. It is a very seriou3 flaw in that part of the Public Works Act which deals with tolls that it does not limit the amount that may be charged to some reasonable sum ; because it is really unwise to trust with discretionary powers some men whom the ratepayers, with a peculiar lack of discernment, elect to represent them on public bodies. As the Act now stands, the Railway Department is assured a monopoly of the carrying traffic of tbe country ; and wool-growers and others must pay the railway rates however exorbitant. It were just as reasonable for the Tuapeka County to impose a toll on alt the goods that pass over its roads to the interior or on all the produce that passes through Lawrence to Dunedin ; or, better still, why not make the gold escort pay toll at so much an ounce ? There is really no limit to the absurdity, and once started it is hard to say where it will stop. We would lite to see the legality of the Taieri Council's action tested ; and from what we can gather, this is to be done.