SUPREME COURT BUILDING

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 6

SUPREME COURT BUILDING

Foundation Stone Laid In 1938 A centenary and a jubilee were noted at the Dominion legal conference in Christchurch yesterday. The jubilee ~is of the move to establish a permanent Court of Appeal which has been on the Justice Department’s file since 1907. For this, the Attorney-Gen-eral (Mr J. R. Marshall) said that legislation would be soon introduced. The centenary is of the first sitting of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in Christchurch in 1857. This led the chairman of the Canterbury District Law Society (Mr R. A. Young) to comment on the laying of a foundation stone for new Supreme Court buildings in 1938. “At the last conference in Christchurch we laid a foundation stone,” said Mr Young. “It has worn very well. Of course it has been covered with a hood of iron. It is available for inspection all this week—with the hood on.” Of the old Supreme Court buildings, built in 1869, Mr Young said: “As Mr Justice Adams knows, it leaks, is cold, and is draughty. But we are proud of it because of the standards and integrity of those who have administered justice there.” The president of the New Zealand Law Society (Mr T. P. Cleary) said: “If there be some who think that it was laid a little prematurely, they cannot say that it was not laid well and truly, for as you say Mr Chairman, it is there yet.” “Coming as Minister of Justice, and as Attorney-General, I did not think that I could get away without some reference to the foundation stone. It was laid in 1938, and it is still there. The evidence is that, and it cannot be disputed; though a very creditable attempt was made to conceal it,” said Mr Marshall. “Some renovations of the Court building have been carried out. and more may be needed. But I know that some of you are secretly very proud of it. . . . (Applause.) ... I must ask you to continue to be proud of it—at least until it is 100 years old.” Mr Marshall said that he would be less than frank if he did not say that there were no present plans for a new Supreme Court in Christchurch.