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17
sultation between the Council and the Board, for insertion
in one of the Council's Bills, to deal with land belonging
to adjoining owners under such circumstances.
South Western
Police Court.
The efforts which this Board made, extending
over many years, to secure the establishment of a new
Police Court in the locality of Clapham Junction at length
resulted in the erection at Lavender Hill of a suitable
building for the purpose, which was opened during the
past year. The arrangements for the conduct of business,
however, are still inadequate, as there is only one regular
Magistrate assigned to the Court. The Board therefore
took the opportunity of the appointment of a Departmental
Committee to enquire into the proper number and limits
of the Police Court districts of the Metropolis and the
arrangements for the service of such courts by the
Magistrates to present a memorial to the Home Secretary
on the subject. The following extracts from the memorial
explain the grievances of which the Board complain, viz.:—
That in carrying out the duties of your Memorialists it is very frequently
necessary for several of their officers to be in attendance at the South
Western Police Court, and your Memorialists are informed that groat
inconvenience and delay in the transaction of business arises in consequence
of there being only one Magistrate permanently attached to such Court,
such Magistrate being assisted by Magistrates from other Courts, on days
which vary according to the arrangements which the Magistrates may find
it necessary to make for the transaction of business generally.
That the business of your Memorialists at the Police Court is of a special
character, and, in a great degree, consists of matters which do not come
before Magistrates sitting at courts in Central London, and in consequence
the Magistrates who occasionally attend from the more central courts are
sometimes reluctant to deal with the cases in which proceedings are being
taken by your Memorialists. Many of these cases are of great importance,
and occupy considerable time in the hearing of evidence and the arguments
of counsel, and when, as frequently happens, the hearing of such cases has
to be adjourned, great difficulty is experienced in fixing upon days for the
adjournment, as it is uncertain when the Magistrate who has begun the
case will again be in attendance. Further, when summonses have been
heard and determined by a Magistrate, the orders which are made by him
in the matter, and which have to be served upon the defendants before they
take effect, sometimes remain at the court for a long time to be signed, as
this must be done by the Magistrate who heard the case.
B