The Newcastle magistrates, who on November 5th convicted Driver Knox
of the North-Eastern Railway on a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct, made an important statement on Monday. Mr. Martin, the senior magistrate, in making the statement, pointed out that as the result of an unusual and informal inquiry held before a gentleman of but equal judicial standing with the Newcastle Bench, and appointed for the purpose by the Home Secretary, the defendant had received a " free pardon." Mr. Martin went on to say that they might congratulate the defendant, but at the same time they entered their protest in their judicial and individual capacity against the appointment in the circumstances of such a tribunal, its constitution, and the method of conducting the inquiry. Throughout, the advocate in the Commissioner had dominated the magistrate. In this hurriedly opened inquiry the laws of evidence were not strictly adhered to, and it had not the safeguard of the oath. "Nor were the justices concerned consulted by the Home Secretary, or asked by him for their observations on the case, as is usually done when he is petitioned to revise a judicial decision." The protest of the Newcastle magistrates is timely as well as dignified. There is no trace of wounded amour propre in their statement, which without passion or prejudice emphasizes the full extent of Mr. McKenna's submission to trade-union pressure.
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