Magistrate Farewelled From Levin Circuit

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1949, Page 4

Magistrate Farewelled From Levin Circuit

. After. having been. magistrate on ' the dist.rict circuit since July, 1938, Mr; A. M-. Gouiding, g'.M'., yesterday ]': presided' a-t his- last sitting- of the Magistrate's Court in Le-vin and wilft shortly take up. his new ap- J poin.tment as chairman of- the. Licenslng • Control. Comnhfisiom. At the, conctosion of. the- sitting, Mr.- N. M,. Thomson, speaking on behalf. of. the Levin Bar, tendered. congratulations. to. 'Mr. Gouldihg and' wished him many years oi" happy and useful1 service to the community in the important office Lo which he was. going. "In the discharge of your duties as a. magistra.te'," said Mr. Thomson,, "you have shown, in. additjpn. to other high qualities, a very human un.ders.tanding ahd approach to your problems. We feel that those quafities especially fityoju for a work- which- so intimately concerna the- lives- and livelihood of so many people. We in Levin can look. back over som,e 11- years since •you first began to preside in. this co.urthouse, an.fi we r.emember those years with urimixed pleasure unmarr.ed by a single unpleasantness. "We are all» a.ware- how exacting, 'b.oth to the Bench and Bar, is the common law side of our work," continued Mr. Thomson, "but we have always known in. our appearances- 'before you that o_ur- arguments would be listened to wi.'h patience and, what is, sq very much more important, that the critical 'points which arise in every case. PQints that reaiiy- matter, would be quick-ly observed % you- and appreciated at- their true value, It ha& been. this. knowledge that has added, a. aest to our a-ppearances •before you and which, coupl.ed. with your unfailing courtesy, haye made our court days in Levin altogether enjoyable." Concluding. Mr. Thomson said. that Mrs-. >Goulding had not i-nfre-quently accompanied- Mr. Goulding on the" circuit and- meetings with, her would be remembered, with pleasure^ It was, honed that the-y would both. be l.ong spared to explqre together t.he very wide. and interesting fie'ds to which Mr. GoUlding would now proceed. "I am very sorry in- one sense.to be leaving the Magisterial Bench and to, be- sitting here for what may be the last time," said Mr. Goulding, in reply. "I am considerably moved" by the sincerity of the tribute which. you, have paid me* I came here in July, 1938. for the first time and over the vears which have followed I cannot re"coMect a single occasion on which I h&vo not met with the greatest courtesy and* understanding from members of the profession." If there had; been one thing which, he had'tried to-keep in mjnd, prQceeded Mr. Goulding, i't had be°n that of justice for the poorer Ijtigant and the people as a whole. and 'that all li.tigants were entittod to a fair hearing whatever the amount involyed'. • Some of his best experienee had come fr^m smafier -ases at.the Bar in the Magistrate's Court and Suoreme Court. That -had- been the orincio'e on which he had worked-, and if he- had met with °ny success and satisfied litigants. then he would feel that his work had been worthwhile.