LEGAL MATTERS

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14364, 15 May 1920, Page 5

LEGAL MATTERS

NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. URGED BY LAW SOCIETY^ At the annual meeting of Hie Hamilton Law Society, held in the Law Library yesterday, Hie president (Mr 11. T. Gillies) referred to several matters of great interest to the general public, as well as to the legal fraternity. Number of Judges Inadequate. Mr Gillies said thai, lie wished to refer to Ihe inadequacy of the salaries now paid to various officials under the Department of Justice. Judges'salaries had been tin' same for She past ton years, although llnv cosl or living hail gone ii]> enormously. This meant that many inferior practitioners wen l earning as much as Ihe besl .fudges, which was a slate of affairs which should no! be allowed lo continue. The number of judges was totally inadequate. It would probably be a shock lo ihe labour people who were advocating.a 40-hour week lo learn that ihe average Judge in New Zealand worked something like ~5 hours a week. This should nol he. A Judge was required to be of mature years and judgment, and should not be compelled to work such long bonis. The number of Judges should be doubled. Magistrates Poorly Paid. The same argument, said Mr GiJlies, applied to Magistrates, whose salaries had gone up to a small extent, but, not sufficiently in view of the great increase in the cost of living. Magistrates should he selected from those who made a success of their profession, and the remuneration was not sufficient to attract such men. The wages of clerks should also he increased. Stamps and Deeds Office. Mr Gillies considered tliat the Society should move in the direction of securing a branch of the Stamps Office and the Land and Deeds Office in Hamilton. There was no reason why a Stamps Office should not lie established here at once. It would only involve the expense of housing the staff, which would be a small matter. The opening of a Lands and Deeds Office here would be a bigger mailer, hut Ihe difficulties could be overcome, and the present inconvenience, delay and expense of sending business lo Auckland would be obviated. Mr Gillies' remarks were greeted by applause, anil it is likely that some action in the ma tier will lie taken by the Society during the .coining year.