Justices of the Peace open clinic

Apart from exercising ministerial duties, JPs also sit in District Courts. Photo / Thinkstock

A new Justice of the Peace clinic in central Whangarei will complement existing services and give the public more options almost on a daily basis.

The Northland Justices of the Peace Association is starting a new service where a JP will be present at the central library on Rust Ave from 10am to noon every Saturday starting tomorrow.

The JP will perform ministerial duties such as certifying copies of documents, witnessing signatures and taking oaths and affirmations.

A JP is presently available at the Citizens Advice Bureau weekdays from 9am to 12.15pm and association president Murray Lints said that service would be moved to the Whangarei District/High Court building in September.

He said the service would be available during part of the morning through to lunch hour but the exact hours were still being confirmed.

Mr Lints said JPs have found that more people preferred to visit them at clinics rather than their homes.

"We felt there's a need to have a lower town presence because of the changing work patterns of people. Quite a lot of people come to the Saturday market," he said.

JPs see on average 15 people a day in Whangarei.

The association has 130 members in Whangarei and Kaipara.

Apart from exercising ministerial duties, JPs also sit in District Courts and deal with minor offences, traffic matters, issues of remands and bail, hearing of undefended cases, preside over defended trials and over preliminary hearings of serious offences.

Nominations for appointment as a Justice of Peace are accepted only from MPs.