ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OE STATE.

25

A.—No. 1.

and Melbourne. But tbe bill of costs, of wliicli I enclose a copy, will perhaps satisfy tlie Secretary of State tbat trifling misdemeanours will not hastily be prosecuted under the above-mentioned Acts, at all events by the Government of this Colony. Of tlie gross amount (£203 18s.) three tilings may be noticed. First, that a very insignificant proportion ranks as strictly law expenses ; the whole sum paid to solicitor and counsel amounting only to £4 lis. Bd., and being not one fourth part of the amount which would be allowed for similar services upon a prosecution of equal weight and difficulty in England. Secondly, no more than £1 7s. was found to be reasonably taxable, according to the scale of expenses in these Colonies, of a bill of £203 18s.; and, lastly, the remaining larger amount, viz., £197 19s. 4d., was payable between six witnesses only, and comprises no other class of expenses than may attend upon any prosecution, even of a trifling misdemeanour, under similar circumstances of locality. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Geoege Alfred Arney, C.J. (Judicial Branch).

Enclosure. The Queex v. RrciiAHDSox .and others.—Cost* for the Prosecution. £ s. d. £ s. d. Richard Beck, five days @ 15s. ... ... ... ... 3 15 0 Charles Lysnar, „ ... ... ... ... 3 15 0 Otto Berliner, sixty-one days @ 20s. Cd. ... .., ... 62 10 6 ~ two passages from Melbourne and back, £16 ... ... 32 0 0 91 10 6 William Berrill, sixty-one days @ 19s. 6d. ... ... ... 59 9 G „ two passages from Melbourne and back. £10 ... ... 32 0 0 91 9 G John King, travelling expenses from Drury ... ... ... 1 18 0 „ seven days @ Gs. ... ... ... ... 220 4 0 0 Eliza Stevens, travelling expenses ... ... ... ... 0 3 0 „ five days @ 6s. Bd. ... ... ... ... 113 4 1 16 4 Solicitor, preparing case for and attending trial ... ... ... ... 220 Counsel's fees on trial ... ... ... ... ... 220 Attending for subposna ... ... ... ... ... 0 3 4 Copies of same ... ... ... ... ... 010 Instructing police as to service ... ... ... ... ... 0 3 4 £203 18 0

Circular, to the Resident Magistrates at Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Napier, Nelson, Blenheim, Hokitika, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill. (Circular No. 32.) Colonial Secretary's Office (Judicial Branch), Sir,— Wellington, 30th June, IS6B. I have the honor, by direction of Mr. Stafford, to request you to be good enough to state your experience of the working of the Imperial Acts 6 and 7 Viet. c. 31, and 1G and 17 Viet. c. 118,. and whether the powers given by them have been frequently, or otherwise, put into operation. I have, &c\, E. G-. Pouxtaev, (For the Assistant Law Officer).

Mr. Ch.vwford to the Hon. E. W. Staffoiu). Resident Magistrate's Court, Sir,— Wellington, 3rd July, 1868. With reference to your Circular No. 32, dated the 30th ultimo, I have the honor to remark that only once have I had occasion to make use of the powers conveyed by the Acts in question. It is, however, probable that cases may increase in frequency. It appears to me that the powers given by the Act should be extended to misdemeanours of a serious character. I have, &c, James C. Crawford, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Eesident Magistrate.

Mr. Sharp to the Hon. E. W. Stafford. Sir, — Eesident Magistrate's Office, Nelson, 17th July, 1868. In reply to your Circular No. 32, of 30th June last, I have the honor to state that my experience of the working of the Imperial Acts referred to has not been very extensive, but so far as it has gone I found that the powers conferred by the Act as to the indorsement or backing of warrants within the Colony were too limited, inasmuch as a delay is involved in the districts wherein there is no resident Judge. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Jonx Shakp, (Judicial Branch,) Wellington. Resident Magistrate. 7