SIR ARCHIBALD BLAIR TO RETIRE

Chronicle (Levin), 27 September 1947, Page 4

SIR ARCHIBALD BLAIR TO RETIRE

AUCKLAND, Sept. 26. The retirement will take place skortly of Sir Archibald Blair, New Zealand 's Senior Pnisne Judge, who has been on the Beneh of tlie Supreme Court for nearly 20 y,ears. He was farewelled by members of the Auckland Law Society at a dinher at which he was guest of honour. "We very much regret his judicial passing," said Mr. H. E. Barrowelough in proposing a toast to Sir Archibald. ' ' Our only complaint is that he has not been in Auckland often enoirgh. We have all been very grateful for his kindly and sliarp humour. We have loved and adniired him and his work on the Beneh." "I am very proud of the fact that I have been a member of the greatest of all professions for nearly 50 years," said Sir Archibald. The profession had sprung from the church and it had not in'any way deviated from the digsity of the^ehureh. Its practiee was based on trust, honour and an_ appreciation of the ethics of the profession. There had been cas'es where these high principles were not followed but they were very rare indeed. A lawyer was subjected to greater temptations than those in other prof essions. ' ' I don 't think that, during those 50 years, I ever honseiously did a cruel or hard thing to anybody. I never spared myself ih putting the i best that was in rne into making my J decisions. I never got used to the I beastly business of having to sentenee prisoners. ' ' ;