A GRIEVOUS LOSS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19165, 23 November 1927, Page 9

A GRIEVOUS LOSS.

TRIBUTES PROM BENCH AND BAR. Yesterday morning, members 6i the Supreme Court Bench, the Magisterial Bench, and the Bar, met m the Supreme Court to pay a tribute to the late Mr Justice Alpers. With his Honour Mr Justice Adams were Mr Justice Stringer, Messrs H. A. Young, H. P. Lawry, and E. L>. Mosiey, ri.M.'s. There was a largo assemulage ot members of the legal proiession. The speakers were Mr W. M. tlamil ton, president oi the Canterbury Law oociety, Mi M. J. Ureason, and his Honour Air Justice Adams. •'We are met here under very unfortunate circumstances. Death has removed from us one ot the most distinguished members of the Bar," s>aui Mr Hamilton, "and we are assembled here to-day to pay a tribute to ins memory It is fitting that we do »o here, as this Court was the scene ot his labours for many years. I regret that it has devolved upon me, as president of the Canterbury Law Sjciety, to perform this duty. I regret that ao occasion has arisen during my term oi office, and 1 would that it devolved upon the president of the Law Society many .years from this time, so that the late Judge might have been able to accomplish the work upon which he had set his heart. Had that been the case the country would have derived a great benefit I_ would that I had a slight touch of his genius to enable me.to do justice to his memory." Extraordinary Ability. Mr Hamilton went on to say that the late Judge was a man of extraordinary ability. He was so unusual hi every way that ordinary words seemed commonplace in describing him Nature had conferred upon the late Mr Alpers bountiful gifts, his very character being sufficient to show that. He came to the country without influence 'jr wealth, yet in a few years he was distinguished in language and attainments. Within a short time of his arriving in New Zealand he was filling the chair of Professor of English. Then he became a leader of the Bar after a short period of practice. His talents woie immediately recognised, and in a short period he was raised to the Bench. The lato Judge filled the office with the same distinction as that whi'-'h he earned at the Bar. His marvellous intellectual powers and profound knowledge of human nature were the chief features of his character. He had genius combined with wisdom, added to a sound conception of his judicial duty, and a remarkable self-control on the Bench, coupled with extreme courtesy to the Bar and an extraordinary quickness in grasping a point He never allowed substance to be sacrificed to form, and never allowed justice to be tangled with technicalities. Regarding his legal knowledge, he was much more m.odest than he had occasion to be. He possessed a great intellectual grasp of all he learned, and was never in a difficulty in arriving at a sound conclusion in any problem put before him. , "By his death," said Mr Hamilton "the community and the profession suffer' a most severe loss. He was generous, impulsive, and warm-heart-ed, but a fighter to the backbone. He was quick to strike, but bore no animus, and he was equally quick to relent. . It was an exhilaration and a pleasure to have any intercourse with the late Judge in a personal, private, or business capacity. He was familiarly known to the younger members of the Bar as 'O.T.J.,' and always he inspired and helped them. He was ever popular and beloved. It is the fate of ill to be" forgotten, but his memory will go down as an inspiration to many succeeding generations. T express the sympathy which all members of the profession feel for the .widow and family in their bereavement " Special Characteristics. "To-day wo mourn the loss of that Danish boy who came to the Dominion at an early age," said Mr M. J. Gresson "In some ways it is peculiarly suitable that I should express a tribute to his memory He taught me for nine years at the Christchurch Boys' High School, and no teacher of English literature in New Zealand could compare with him. For fifteen years we practised against each other in the Courts, and during that time nothing crossed our path of friendship. He had three special characteristics which marked him for all time. They were a passion for justice, a hatred of chicanery, and an abiding faith that the English law always provided a remedy for the defenceless against the oppressive. When boys left school they always regarded him as guide, philosopher, and frieni Without cant or preaching he always held up the highest ideals to the junior Bar. During the fifteen years T practised against him he never performed a mean or a discreditable action. We have lost a true and a dear friend." A Leader of the Bar. "I desire to associate myself and my colleagues freely and completely with what has been said." said his Honour Mr Justice Adams. "Tt is fitting that in the City in which the late Mr Justice Alpers passed the most fruitful years of his life and in the Court in which he earned a reputation which placed him easily and without dispute as the leader of the Bar, the friends of his earlier time should have taken advantage of paying a tribute to his memory His career at the Bar more than justified his rail to the Supreme Court Bench. Those gentlemen who havo snoken have done so with a mu"" more intimate knowledge of him lan that possessed bv me. But T inevitable took a very keen interest in his charm ing and his wonderful ver satility He was a man of the purest honour. T and my colleagues hav p had sufficient nmwrtunity to n' his groat capabilities Wp are able more f"llv than most, to anpreointe tbp ,T r pvj->ns loss to the Dominion and Ihe Bench which will follow from his early death." At a meeting of the executive of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers' Association, a motion of condolence was passed to the relatives of the late Mr Justice Alpers. who for a number "-t years was chairman of the Returned Soldiers' Club Building Committee, 'n recognition of the valuable service rendered bv him. he was some time ago made nn honorary life member of he Association. ~ , , Regret at the death of Mr Justice Alpers. who had addressed the pupils of the school at the breaking-up ceremony on occasions, was expressed at vesterdav's meeting of the Ashbnrron TTigh School Board, and it was decided to forward a letter of sympathy to Mrs Alpers.