Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-28
Price Four Cents.

l larger towns but active prominent citizens are drawn in the same direction in nlore marked de- gree. Farming has long since ceased to be our only l important occupation The capable mechanic mer- | some city or larger town. The successful manufac l turer builds up center of population around him. ing the many modern Injuries that to who can command then have become almost necessities of wealth glance at the grand list of the State well Number Population, Grand list 26 359,6IO s203 541 52o Towns with population not exceeding 5000 each. Number, Population, Grand list Al 263,O73 SIPS, 915
 Nn class feels this ravitation more strong ly than lawyers from whom the judges even of pri mary courts should be drawn. In short, while for meriy we found center of population and influence Tn nearly every town now such centers are concen- trased into comparatively few; several adjoining towns combining to build up and sustain each one. A. The active character of modern life the ten- dency to division of 1abor the necessity bred by sharp competition, of giving every energy to cupat1on has almost destroyed class that in times was comparatively large-lnen fitted by edI- cation, and who would give the time to properly pre- pare for the occasional exercise of judicial functions. To-day it is practically impossible to get the work of judge done by any one not specially We deem it sufficiently evident that primary court must be presided over by judge trained for that purpose and paid salary sufficient to enable him to devote his whole time, main portion of his time, to the duties of his flee; and that the dis trict over which each has jurisdiction should furnish sufficient business to occupy the time of at least one judge. VI
 That the establishment sf such a court is needed seems to us beyond question That it Is practtcabIe we have no doubt. It is not appropriate nor is it possible without more thorough collection of facts than have obtained for us to draft all the details of bill providing for such court. But we submit py way or illustration, general --- PLAN FOR A PRIMARY COURT
 The State to be divided into twenty or twenty five
 judicial districts, and districeurt established in each.
 The districts to be so arrangedyhat each one sbsu include some large town and to be arranged also with reference to esse of communication.
 A judge for each district court to be apponted bx the general assembly for four years with fixed aa appointed for each district in like manner, and to receive per diem for the time employed in holding court.
 districts where business requires it. two dis trict courts to be established, for civil business and one for criminal business. The other district courts to exercise both civil and criminal juris- diction.
 The judge or deputy to hold court in different parts of the district when clearly required for con venience of parties and witnesses.
 The judges of district courts establish rules of practice, not inconsistent with the general rules abolished by law, and to meet once year for the purpose of consultation in reference to uniformity practice and other matters connected with the ad ministration of justice.
 The district courts 70 have final jurisdiction in tions at law, where the matter in demand does not exceed $30O
 To have final jurisdiction of all offences where the punishment does not exceed one years Imprisonment in jail, fine of s30O both. prosecuting off, cer to be appointed in esch district
 Justices of the peace to have no Jurisdiction for the trial of civil criminal but may issue warrants sworn complaints, and exercise certain other powers of the magistrate
 Appeals allowed both in civil and criminal to the superior court upon questions of law only. The decision o1 the superior court upon such appeals to be final except that provision shall be made for the reservation of certain class of for the opinion of the supreme court of errors.
 The district courts to be always open. Each Satur day to be return day for civil process. Each Mon day day for the assignment of trials.
 The judge of any district court may hold court,
 special court in other district at the request of the judge thereof.
 Provisions to be made for summoning juries. jury of six in certain cases and to be allowed in all cases by consent of parties All civil cases when jury is not asked for within fixed time. and all the accused or the State to be tried to the court O'
 We believe that primary court established on such plan will be found to produce the fol- lowing effect:
 It will give to the of the people a fair tribu nal for the speedy settlement of their controversies and at expense much less than under the present system
 It will enable the State to try and finally dispose all complaints for minor oenses within reasonably short time after commission, and thus secure the more efficient punishment of all such crimes we'll laws that are uow more or less a dead letter.
 It will do away with the necessity for fourteen be merged in that of the district courts. The few tion would be entitled to city court if they saw fit. But if they insisted such right it need truth is that the great value of city franchises has disappeared with the conditions of government that first called them into existence. The privi- leges that in ancient times were only granted to chartered cities are now free to the whole people The necessity for "clOse charter has passed away. Even in England, tenaciously conservative of old ways, the great city of London is practically cent acts of Parliament; the corporation of the city of London, with it's close charter and ancient fran chises includes very small part of the territory and not one e-tweDteth of the population of the present city. There is no reason why in this State the pr- mary court fer the inhabitants of a chartered city shold be different from the court provided for other citizens.
 will eventually do away with the necessity for courts of common pleas. An intermediate court Nbe tween the primary court and the superior court II an evil unless it Is necessity With population as business can readily be done without such interrne- diate court.
 It will relieve the superior court large amount of business that ought to be vested in all inferior s more satisfactorily disposed of by such court More than the whole time of two judges of the supe peals. reduction of the business of the superior court involves in time reduction in the number of judges It is perfectly clear that with limited ulation, and other things being equal the fewer the number of judges of the higher court the stronger
 It will relieve the supreme court of large amount of business that now burdens the docket of that court to no good purpose, and VIII give to inc supreme court judges.
 1t is thus apparent that m,st of the evils of present system of judicature will be aft cted by tie establishment of good primary court. and to greater less degree alleviated. There are other remedies that ought follow accompany this first step, but consider this important and 50 ef
 cient in all directions, that think it wiser to con effort at reform to what is necessarily involved in the adoption of this measure
 In preparing the Qeta1lS or Sucn a CDdnRe III lue orpani zation of our courts more accurate informa ton is needed than well bs collected in other way than by committee acting under the authority of the State.
 Your committee unanimously and very earnestly recommend the adoption of the accompanying reso- lutions Respectfully submitted,
 WILLIAM HAMERsLEY Chairman
 THE RESOLUTIONS.
 Resolutions recommended by ths committee jurisprudence.
 Reselued-That in the opinion of this association primary court with the final Jurisdiction in civil amount of proper y, and with final jurisdiction in criminal matters over minor offences, ought to be established
 Reso'ued, That the preparation of plan for the es tablishment of such court and for such changes in existing laws as it's establishment may involve ought to be committed to competent persons appoint ed by the State with authority to make the nvestga
 Resolved, That --- be requested, behalf of the General Assembly, and urge investigation of this subject and appropriate legisation.
 Considerable discussion ensued after the reading of the report of the committee, and it was the opinion of all present that changes similar to those recommended by the con- nittee were needed in our judicial system in the interest of better administration of jus tice. The report was accepted and the reso- lutions, after the blank in the last had been filled by the insertion of the names of Will liam Hamersley, Henry c. Robinson, John son T. Platt, Daniel Chadwick, John M. Hall and Edward W. Seymour, Esquires were unanimously adopted.
 The same committee made report in re- gard to change in the method of taking causes to the Supreme Court, which &C., cepted, and Charles E. Perkins and Harris B. Munson, Esqs were appointed committee to prepare proper bill and present the same to the Legislature at it's next session. After the transaction of routine business the meeting adjourned.
 Ostrich Feathers. [The Pail Mall Gazette.1 Ostrich feathers not so much used for pereonal adornment by ladies in England as