The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-20 00:00:00

COAST GUARD.

Removals--Lieutenarit E, J. Vottles, from Rickhurst Pag-
ham station, vice Slntighter, remignecl,

THE COUNTY MAGISTRACY.

Among the provincial complaints of magistrates, by their
not duly attending to• their duties, inconveniencing the
public, Nottinghamshire is not in the arrear of some other
counties. The following, from a Nottingham paper of last
week, shows a " second edition" of neglect in that county.
Country justices are fast paving the way for stipendiary
magistrates in the provinces. The Nottingham papers says :
—" From a communication which has reached us this week,
we learn that from the latter part of last July, till the be-
ginning of September, the inhabitants of the Retford district
were much annoyed and inconvenienced by the irregular at-
tendance of magistrates. Week after week passed, and little
or no business was got through, owing to the absence of
I these gentlemen from the sphere whose duties they had
undertaken to fulfil, We are also informed that in conse-
quence of a few of the parishes which formerly belonged to
the Retford district, being now included in the recently
formed Worksop division, the meetings at the former named
place are to take place only once a fortnight, instead of
weekly as before.
"Now, although we have no wish to meddle with matters
which do not concern us, we do feel bound as journalists,
labouring in the cause of the people, just to remind our
worthy friends who Mutineer justice, that there are such
things as public duty and public convenience, and that until
such things are transported as outlaws, they should stand
foremost in the minds of all public functionaries. We know
that these things are very irksome occasionally, but then we
also know how easy it is to dispense with the cares of office,
if they are but willing to renounce its honours. The old say-
ing that' Every sweet has its bitter,' is most true. and we
do think that those who accept the one should brave the
other. We do hope that these remarks will be received as
good humouredly as they are written ; and would say in con-
clusion, good sirs, pray have mercy_ on the long vexed pa-
tience of the poor neglected public. '

_
flll3.=al----A--_------
MARYLEDONE VESTAY.—On Saturday, at the
meeting of the Marylebone Vestry, the Rev. Dr. Spry, the
rector, in the chair, Mr. Michie begged to ask Mr. P. Laurie
whether it was true that the office of clerk of the peace for
the county of Middlesex was not a sinecure place ; and
also whether it was or was not the intention of the magis-
trates to increase the salary of that sinecure officer, in the
shape of fees payable out of the county-rate. Mr. Laurie
said there was such a thing as that alluded to by Mr. Michie
going on. The office of clerk of the peace for Middlesex
was at the present time occupied by a party who never did
any duty himself,
granted by the Act of Parliament to appoint a deputy. He
but who availed himself of the privilege
thought they had no right to interfere with a man who re-
ceived a moderate salary, and who chose to pay another for
doing his duty, providing hone duties were performed pro-
perly ; but when he found steps being taken for making a
schedule of fees to such a person, affording a remuneration
out of the pockets of the rate-payers, to the amount of
5,000/. per annum, he thought it was propei that some
check should be put upon such reckless expenditure.
By the proposed schedule of fees, the clerk of the peace
was to receive Is. lid. for every printed circular sent to a
magistrate. He was to have Is. for every summary conviction
that took place at any police court, and one guinea for every
time his deputy was called out, of his office to seak to a com-
mittee. He (Sir. Laurie) was one of the Committee on the
Schedule of Fees, but he had not attended. until lately, and
when he did he was utterly surprised at what had taken
place, and had, with the aid of some of her members, suc-
ceeded in reducing some of the items. The m ostormobitant as
nstrous
thing in the whole affair was, that these fees,
ex
they were, were, to the extent of three• fifths of the en are
amount, to go to the/ clerk of the peace, who never, on any
occasion, even put his foot within the walls of the Session
House. He (Mr. Laurie) hoped that the vestry would urge
upon the magistrates of the county who were membei's of the
Board, to use every th m endeavour to defeat so nefarious ir.. job.
11 r. Michie said he would at once adopt the suggesof
Mr. Laurie, andve notice of motion for Saturday next.
give
Mr. Tritton, as churchwarden of Trinity district, applie d fur
to consider thea committee propriety of appropriating' the
surplus pew rents of the church to the erection of a rec4ory
house, which,
after some discussion, was agreed to. 'The
vestry they separated, .. .