JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 164, 14 July 1933, Page 10

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

PLAN TO INCREASE POWERS. NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESTIGE. [ Per Press Association. 1 AUCKLAND. July 12. Referring to the agitation' to ovtain wider power for justices of the peace, the Governor-General, at the annual social of the Auckland Justices of . the Peace Association tonight, said: “Tt is not for me to attempt to reflect the views of the Government, but 1 cannot help thinking, if yo n w i)| ]e t mo say so , t | )at the surest way of realising ‘ this Jaudible ambition is to take every step in your power to prevent unworthy people joining your ranks. “If th c office of Justice of the Peace is to be held in high honour and repute it is important that it be restricted to men and women wno Have clean lives and upright characters, who have a reasonable standard of cdu cation, good knowledge of lhe world and their fellow-countrymen, and judgment that can be relied upon to be sound fair, and unprejudiced. If you can manage to prevent those who have not those qualifications from entering your ranks you will do much to raise tnc prestige of this organisation, and as the population of this country increases Hie Government will be bound to delegate more responsible duties to you than you at present enjoy. “From what 1 know of the ofiicieney of those who belong to your associaI tion, I. am perfectly certain that when that time comes such confidence will De justified. ’’ Lord Bledisloe also referred tu the proposal to appoint women police Tn New Zealand. “It might be well?’ he commented, “to see for a little longer how the system of women ponce works in much more populous codntries than yours before you embark on this course. ’ ’