408 
present time the desirable information ; 
and then to give them such digested 
arrangement, as might render them 
most elucidatory and useful to the po- 
litical inquirer and economist. But we 
found that not only considerable delay 
would be necessary for such purpose, 
but that the article would necessarily 
swell to an extent inconvenient for our 
purpose. At the same time, Mr. Peel’s 
Bill for augmenting the salaries of Po- 
lice Magistrates has given, or ought to 
give, a present interest to the subject ; 
and in the hope of eliciting further in- 
formation, we present the documents as 
far as they go, with little addition, or 
pretence of arrangement, to our readers. 
The same reason will, perhaps, ren- 
der not unacceptable the following re- 
marks, which we have compressed from 
an amusing, though somewhat lengthy 
article, which recently appeared in a 
weekly publication. 
POLICE MAGISTRATES, MR, PEEL AND 
MR. BENTHAM. 
Mr. Peel’s Bill for raising the salaries 
of the Stipendiary Magistrates, which 
passed the Commons without opposi- 
tion, raises the salaries of the Police 
Magistrates from £600 to £800 a-year, 
to induce lawyers of high talent and 
character to accept the office; and that 
the administration of justice should be 
liberally’ provided for;.and as there 
cannot be a worse economy than to 
give inadequate remuneration to judi- 
cial functionaries. But Mr. Bentham 
has just issued a slight pamphlet, 
entitled “ Observations on Mr. Secre- 
tary Peel’s Speech,’ &c., in which he 
handles, with a good deal of humour, 
as well as vigour, the Home Secretary’s 
arguments. The original salary was 
£400, during which, of course, there 
was total incompetence. It was then 
raised to £600, which was an improve- 
ment; but to perfect the thing, it was 
to be £800. And yet Mr. Peel assures 
us, “ that the present magistrates are of 
the highest personal respectability, and 
perform their duties to the perfect satis- 
faction of the country.” Persons so 
competent and so respected being will- 
ing then to serve the office for £600 
a-year, what becomes of the necessity 
for the additional £200 per annum, to 
insure competent knowledge and inte- 
grity! The proposed augmentation of 
salary is to be accompanied with two 
regulations: the Police Magistrates are 
to be selected exclusively from the bar; 
and no Barrister is to be eligible who 
Police of the Metropolis. 
{June 1, 
has not been three years at it. And 
yet, as Mr. Bentham truly states, the- 
only qualifications necessary to consti- 
tute such a barrister, are the “ being of 
full age; payment of a certain sum in fees 
and taxes; and, on a certain number 
of days, sprinkled over a surface of five 
years, eating and drinking in a certain 
place, or therein making believe to eat 
and drink.” As to the three years’ 
standing; in sucha space of time many 
a barrister, even among those who sub- 
sequently distinguish themselves, does 
not receive a single brief. Besides, 
who does not know that there are cer- 
tain points in respect to which a man 
may be very indifferently qualified for 
making his way to the bar; and yet, 
perhaps, be but so much the better 
qualified for the exercise of the func- 
tions of the office in question. 
To form a proper opinicn of the ade- 
quacy of a salary, it is necessary to 
know the quantum of labour to be paid 
for. Mr. Peel says the duties of a Po- 
lice Magistrate require “ almost constant 
attendance.” What, says a writer ne- 
cessarily acquainted with the fact ?— 
“ A Magistrate attends at each of the 
offices from twelve to three, and looks in 
again in the evening. There are three 
Magistrates in an office, so that this duty 
is imposed upon each of them twice a week. 
We know that there is some business for 
which the presence of two Magistrates is 
necessary ; but it is to be recollected that 
at almost;all the offices, volunteer Magis- 
trates are frequently in attendance. We 
are convinced that a very large statement 
of the time each Magistrate needs be in 
attendance, is every other day three hours 
in the morning, and twice a-week two 
hours in the evening.’’—Globe and Travel- 
ler, March 22. 
Is not then a permanent provision of 
£600 a-year enough to induce men of 
competent character and ability to fill 
a situation thus easy in regard to la- 
bour? But the fact, as Mr. Bentham 
observes, seems to be that “ The first 
increase did not bring the place with- 
in the sphere of the highly-connected 
class, the hope is, that the second will.” 
Eight hundred a-year will be worth the 
acceptance of honourable persons, who 
will assist the system (the political job 
system) which already works so well, 
to work still better. In other words, 
will make police appointments accept- 
able bonusses for younger sons, &c. of 
good families; and, consequently, ren- 
der the police system so much the 
more efficiently serviceable to political 
ends and purposes. 
OBSERVATIONS 
