JUSTICES' JUSTICE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8448, 17 January 1895, Page 2

JUSTICES' JUSTICE.

The constant addition of persons m various parts of the colony to the already too lengthy roll of Justices of tha Feaoe promises in the near future to prove a severe clog to those wheels whioh should run so smoothly in negotiating many unused roads and bye-ways traversed by tha chariot of the law. The practice has obtained in times past, as soon as a Government got fairly into power to recognise the services of its adherents by oreating a freih batch of Juatioei, thin evidently being a means of showing gratitude for interest taken in political warfare. But these gentlemen, for the most part otherwise estimable colonists, have been met at the outset by a rather serious obstruction. They may be men immersed in business in either town or city, or they may be tillerss of the soil in the back country, and however good their knowledge in various commercial or other pursuits, their ideas generally concerning tho law and its administration is simply nil. Thus we have the not unusual spectacle of one or more gentlemen sitting on the Bench as Justices of the Pease, and owl-like, listening with due solemnity to the evidence brought before them. It often happens, too, that the defendant in some criminal or civil action cannot afford to employ counsel, bat the plaintiff doea. With suoh a handicap ai the latter i« in possession of he, so to speak, stands on velvet, and anyone of a sporting turn of mind would willingly lay any odds on the result. This being arrived at, the sapient justices are placed in a dilemma, for they know not how to administer the law even at they find it, and hero the Clerk of the Court comes in, tho result being bent heads over many bocks of law, and inquiries into various acts, ending probably in some of the most extraordinary judgments being recorded. It not infrequently happens that one of the City Fathers in taking bis seat in ordinary rotation has to adjudicate on some matter affecting a City or Borough Council's officer, at again he may be called on to officiate in some such capacity as coroner at an official enquiry, concerning the conduct of a public bpdy of whioh he is a ! member. JBCo fills these positions because he thinks they are required of him, but it is neither right nor proper that he should. And so this justice goes on the even tenor of his way. If he is of a studious turn of mind, he wndea through some of the various sections of the Aots laid laid down for his guidanoe, but moro often than not he does not worry hitnsolf , but lots some person else think for him, and if placed in a quandary from whioh he can see no escape, he manages somehow to havo tho case transferred to the Magistrate. And this brings us to the point from wbioh we started. We say this unhesitatingly, that before any person is appointed as a Justice of the fence, be should prove to the satisfaction of some person in authority — say the Stipendiary Magistrate of the Districtthat he is properly qualified to sit and adjudicate on the matters brought before him. And we say also that the haphazard manner in which Justices are appointed— without any regard tojthe qualifications bo necessarily required — if persisted in must in the very neat future lead to anything but the law being carried out in its integrity.

On our fourth page to-day will be found the following articles :— Workmen's Wages, Advances to Settlers, Truth and the Clergy, Horrors of the Live Cattle Trade, and Sporting, including an article by " Pakeha" on Racecourse Judges. Annual meetiog of the Wanganui Amateur Begatta Association at Cattail's Commeroial Hotel to-night at 8 o'clock, The usual monthly meeting of the Tongariro Lodge takes plaoe at the Masonio Hall this evening, commencing at 8 o'clock. The annual picnio in connection with Christ Churoh Sunday School takes place to-morrow. The children and their friendß are to be treated to a day's outing at Cherry Bank, the fine property of Mr McGregor. The first brake, wo understand, ii to leave town at tea o'clock, ■ j

■ Captain Jaok Button, who was reported to be dead, is in charge of the menagerie connected with Fitzgerald's Cirous. i Mr Fred Firani, M.H.8., is to address I his constituents at Palmerston North about the middle o£ February, and later on in ! other parts of the disttiot. Mrs Campbell Praed, the novelist, is at present visiting Queensland. She is a Qusenslander by birth, and the daughter of an Australian squatter. t 1 In another column Mr Partington returns thanks to ail who were so kind in endeavouring to save and recover the body of his late son Arthur Victor. Kx-Constable J. MoKenna, of Blenheim, is dead. Soon after joining the Constabulary in Christchurch in 1365 he went to the West Coast, and afterwards to Blenheim. He left the force in May last year owing to ill-health. Thus the Wairoa Guardian in reply to a correspondent :— Nell the Notorious : Your extraordinary epistle betrays all the elements of a sinister, debased mind. Tour identity is known, as you were observed putting the missive under the door. You should first pluok the bean from your own eye, before attempting to remove the mote from the eye of another. Greek George, the wrestler, having failed to get a matoh on for £250, has agreed to wrestle Sam Mathews for the gate-money, the winner to take 75 per oenL., and the loser 25 per cent. The styles are to be Grccco-Boman and catoh-as-catoh-can, the winner of the fall in the quickest time to have the ohoioo of style for the final fall. The match is to take place within three weeks at Wellington. The jookey George Johnston, who was no seriously injured at the Manawottz races on Boxing Day, and who has sinoe been under the careful treatment of the hospital authorities, on Saturday showed decided signs of progress towards recovery. The boy Harry Pritohard, who was severely kicked in the face by a horse at Tokomaru on the 4th of January, and subsequently admitted to the hospital, has only just recovered consciousness. The memorial erected to the Into Sir H. Atkinson in the Karori cemetery (a handsome oi'OBB of red granite, ten feet high) contains the following inscription on one side :—": — " Harry Albert Atkinson, born Ist November, 1881; died 28th June, 1892;" on the reverse side — " To the memory of Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, soldier and statesman, who lived and died in the service of New Zealand ; erected by his friends in Parliament." The Albany correspondent of the New Zealand Horald reports that 5 settler found in a schnapper he was cleaning a halfsovereign of 1845. The coin bears the mark of the fish's tooth, and when found waa a good deal tarnished, but on cleaning was seen to be in a fair Btato of preservation. The fortunate finder intends having the coin mounted as a breastpin as an Interesting memento of regaining & coin from tb.9 briny deep. The New York policeman had had a strange adventure. Finding a man insensible — the officer conoluded the case to be one of drunkenness— he carried his charge to the station, and a dootor was summoned. The policemen then discovered to his horror that he had been carrying a corpse, for the dootor gave his assurance that the man had been dead for several days. There was no necessity for application to a cold-blooded Hospital Board for admission. An involuntary short distance race took place at the Palraerston Railway Station on the departure of the Wellington train on Monday evening, says Tuesday's Standard. An intending passenger Arrived at the platform just as the train moved off, aud eluding the porter's attempt to keep him away from the train he ran up the platform to get on board ; but the Guard, Dan Mouton, was too muoh for him, as he cantered alongside the late arrival and fended him off, while the crowd enjoyed the fun. There is some advantage in having a Bpriuter for a guard. Sir Bobert Stout made a onrious blunder in his recent criticism of the Government Advances to Settlers Aot. He said that the advances could not be paid off before the term of 36J- year* expired. As we pointed out when summarising the provisions, the borrower may pay off £5 or any multiple of £5 at any time. In the avent of any considerable fall in the rate of interest, borrowers would take advantage .of this provision ; and if the Government have to borrow the money at 4 per cent, they may lose considerably on such transactions. — Exchange. The Marlborough Times Bays :— One of our local f armerß advertised for twenty boys for pea pulling, and on the Monday morning he started them to work up to the number of fifty, though, this did not by any means exhaust the supply, but it was all he oould employ. However the young unemployed continued to congregate at the scene of operations, and up to the number of some twenty-five followed the whole labour party's lines barracking and ohiaking the workera, affirming that one was not able to work, another waa a duffer, while a third ought to be at home helping his mother, and so forth and so on, over the whole crowd at work. A singular mishap — luckily unattended with damage to property or loss of life — oocurred while practice was being carried out on the Isle of Grain with a 64 pounder gun. It seems that a projectile, instead of going seaward, lodged in a garden in Beach Street, HheerneßS, close to Beaoh House, and less than 100 yards from the Board sohpols, in which 800 children were assembled. It is not known whether the shot came direct from Grain or riooohetted from the water into the town. It embedded itßelf in the earth to a depth of two feeb. It is fortunate, however, that there were no personal injuries, as the missile passed over tho public reoreation ground and within two inches of a studio where several persons wete working. Every farmer, writes a contemporary, probably oarrios on his work with the object of making some profit from it. But there are some farmers, and gardeners, too, who do not auffioiontly calculate and examine. How many fruit-growers are there who keep on cultivating trees which are unprofitable, occupying ground that oould easily be filled with trees which would give ten times better results ? Some of the cows in the farmer's herd are not one third as profitable as others, and yet they are kept and fed and milked at as much cost as those w hich are really profitable. Hay and wheat are grown and taken off tho land, impoverishing it more and more and never filling the farmer's purse, whilst the profitable cows are half starved for want of ensilage and green fodder in autumn. Wornout horses, sheep, etc., are kept upon the place eating their heads off and doing nothing for their living, To make farming pay there must be a deal of good management, and a lot of solid thinking. The want of tone in the Conservative journals in New Zealand was never more observable (says the Southern Standard) than it has been during these past few months. The fact is to be acoounted for in this way : Peace has its victories as well as war; and sinoo the House rose, and the constituencies have had time to see what was done for them during last session, — iv in spite of factious opposition — there has been less ohanoe than ever of the organsof oapltal using any arguments that could have the leaafc passible ohanoo against the inexorable logic of facts. Hence the|bitfcerness, and the very impotence of rage apparent in the efforts of those whose existence as scribes depends so muoh upon the attacks made upon the Liberal Government. Ministers are lampooned, their domestic lives even are not saored from the illmannered creatures who now, -unfortunately control a number of newspapers which were at any rate respeotablo in their Conservatism inlyears gone by. Here is on example of the sort of thing that members of the oominuuiby who poße as gentlemen approve and even smile at in the columns of the papers over whioh they exercise an absolute oontrol : " A good many people are of opinion that the object of Mr Reeve's via.it to Australia was to meet his wife on her arrival from England, and that his ardent desire to study Australian politics was but a pretext to got a trip at tho colony's expensoi" In tha sooiefcy of gentlemen, any follow who would be guilty of unwarrantably using the name of a woman for the purpose of causing her husband pain, would rightly enough be severely obaotisod, and then cent to Coventry ; but it would really appear that your Conservative writer Jhaa no respcot for women— provided they belong to the other side of politios— and as for his capacity for punishment, the poor fellow, in the position in which he stands to his employers, has " neither a body to be kioked, nor a soul to be damned,"

Members of the Wanganui Bowing Club arc reminded that craws for the regatta are to be chosen on Saturday next. Those willing to row will obliee by handing in their names before that day. Mr Mackenzie has been specially engaged by the Hunterville Caledonian Society for their concert on the 13th of next month. The coramittse have aoted wisely in securing the assistance of suoh an able exponent of Scottish song and story, and should receive the hearty support of the public. In our published report; yesterday of the Wanganui Amateur Begatta Association, a mistake occurred with reference to the number of crews entered by tha Union Boat Club for tha regatta. The light blues entered two crews for each of the three events, and also entered for all the other four-oared races. An assortment of us3fal and really good saddles and saddler's small goods are now on view at Mr Keeaing'a rooms, and those of our readers who may be requiring such articles, would do well to pay the popular mart a visit. The goods are to be sold on Saturday at one o'olook, and will to doubt meet with brisk demand. Batepayers are notified that on acsount of the financial arrangements of the Borough being slterod, it is necessary that all rates and rents now due or overdue should be paid without delay. The Bating Act of 1894 enables the Council to charge 10 per cent, on due or overdue rates, whioh amount will be added unless paid on the due dates. Any arrangements hitherto made for their payment on 31st March are now cancelled. In reference to our paragraph anent the buyingjof tools from nondescripts Mr Coleman, who purchased some from the man McKay, who was yesterday sentenced to three months' imprisonment, informs us that most of the artioles were very muoh the worse of wear, and would not have brought as muoh at auotion as he gave for them, under the belief that they were the bona fide property 'of McKay, who told a plausible story in explanation of offering them for sale. An air ship or flying-machine tried at Chowder Bay, on the north side of Sydney Harbour, on Wednesday, December 26, proved an utter failure. Twelve thousand persons assembled to see the machine take flight from the high rooks, but though the sails were set and the order given it did not leave the ground. It ran along the tramway it rested upon, and after one long halt toppled over the rooks, falling down into the scrub " like a heavy lump of lead." The disappointed orowd was angry, and wanted its money baok It took several hours to freight the people baok to Sydney. Mr J. Ball, of the Chroniole literary staff, was last evening m«,de the recipient of a presentation in view of his approaching mairiage. The present took the form of a neatly ornamented silver cake basket, with suitable inscription. Mr Carson, in making the presentation, said it was the gift of the whole of the staff, by whom Mr Ball was held in high esteem. Mr Ball, having replied to the kind remarks made, Mr Carson then presented Mr Ball with a Gladstone bag, stating that it was presented by a number of gentlemen outside the staff of the paper, who appreciated his ability and diligence. The recipient, having again replied, the proceedings terminated. Mr 801 l left by mid-day train to-day for Palmerston. la connection with the fight between the stallions Selim and Forward at Caulfield last week (a report of whioh wat published in tbeie columns) a specially pluoky bit of work has escaped notice. While the horses were at their maddest Peroy Kennedy, the coloured lad who rode Selim when he won his first welter race, rode ud to the fighters and at great risk seised Forward by the nostrils. The horse reared up suddenly, dragged Kennedy out of the saddle, and tried to trample on him. Bui tho lad held on in the gamest possible manner and succeeded in parting the fighters. The opinion of an eye-witness is that but for Kennedy's gameness Selim and Forward would have torn one another to pieces.— Melbourne Sportsman. In order to make a speedy clearance of the large and valuable stock of drapery, etc., damaged by water as detailed iv our last iasue, Messrs Hogg Bros, and Breobin have arranged to hold a large clearing sale of these goods in Mr W. P. Carrie's store, Taupo Quay, commencing on Saturday morning next. As the artioles to be sold comprise a large range of household requiremeats, which, we are informed, will be sold at atartingly low prices, the publio will have an opportunity of getting some real bargains and of evincing sympathy with the firm in their misfortune, whioh is a serious one. We may remark that as the damage is solely the result of water, the goods are in moat instances not materially deteriorated and will be found quite as serviceable as though they had not been wotted. Choioe Building Sites, five minutes' walk from Post Office ; no climb 3 view of town, ooean, river, forest, and mountain. Also, Suburban Besidence for gentleman in business. B. T. Datis, Biver Bank— Adtt. Xmas month. Speoial inducements to purchase from the Dresden Piano Company. We will give away a splendid Weaver Organ. Purchasers of a Piano or an Organ during December will receive a share in a Weaver Organ, and the shareholders will be invited to meet early in January at the Dresden Piano Co.'s Warehouse, to arrange for allotment. Remember — Tho ownership of the Organ will be confined to purchasers of a Piano or an Organ during December. For Xmas month we have opened up a splendid shipment of Pianos, by Broadwood and Sons, Collard and Collard, Sch.weob.ten, Lipp and Sohn, and other notable makers. Time payments from 20s monthly. The ! Dresden Piano Co., S. H. Martin, Manager Wanganui Branch. — Adtt.