Page 19 - Keeping the Peace

Keeping the Peace – A History of Honorary Justices in Victoria 13
There was clearly an important social role for JPs and each individual needed to be acquainted with a multitude of social issues. Whether they were representative of the population of Victoria became a question of increasing importance as the age and gender profile of JPs caused commentators to publically question how they could perform their function.
They are too old!
In 1912, an article appeared in The Argus newspaper accusing JPs of being too old:
‘No age limit is assigned them, they are allowed to go on parodying justice long after they have reached their dotage. Not very long ago it was found that the average age of the estimable citizens who adorned a suburban bench was a little short of 80 years!’20
In 1917, ‘The Justice of the Peace’ recorded that the oldest JP had died in Wellington Street, Collingwood. Mr James Leven, 89, was born in England in 1828, credited with having served Louis Napoleon who went on to become Emperor of France. He came to Melbourne in gold-digging days, and became a draper in Collingwood after being a wholesale greengrocer.21
It was not until the Justices of the Peace Act 1935 (Vic), that persons aged over 72 years were deemed to be incapable of acting as JPs. This did not apply to JPs appointed before the commencement of the Justices of the Peace Act 1935 (Vic). This was to create further problems over the years to come, as it was difficult to find younger people interested in taking on the role. An ageing profile of the cohort of JPs meant that their skills and qualifications could appear out-dated. Nevertheless, fresh ideas continued to be introduced into the justice community which created new opportunities, for new individuals, to revitalise the role of JP.
20 The Argus, 18 December 1912. 21 ‘The JP’, 9 June 1917, p. 4.