SUB=INSPECTOR M'GRATH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 6

SUB=INSPECTOR M'GRATH.

FAREWELLED AT THE COURTHOUSE. TRIBUTES FROM BENCH AMD BAB. The regular routine of- Magistrate's - Court life was broken in oil yesterday morning, when the Bench and Bar gathered to bid' farewell to ex-Chief Detective M'Grath, one or the most popular • tod: able police" officers in tho_ Dominion. who left for Christchurch : last night, to .take up the - position of Sub* inspector, to which'he has:'just been promoted.. Court was crowded with mem- • fraternity, practically every I •°S a . 1 • olhco in-the city being 'represented. JJW" 8 --™; Profession's tribute ' to ' a popular officer. '. ; ■ I 1 ;: T?;^ r "ii A, o % :Arthur ' s -^> ;aild Mr. W. G.. itiadell} S.M., .were oil the bench. .

| . Tho First Tribute: Mr. Herdman. Mr. A. L. Herdman,; M.P.,: president of « i S ? . was ™ fire*' speaker, and said: that,be. desired to. make public refeiw K ".f^Pendnig.departure from'; Wet v : lington.of Chiet-Detective M'Grath.: Ho did so because the members of the. leefl >■ pro- 'i fession generaUy, practising- in ' the .'aiagis- ' 1 ' .'jSv come--, in contacts' with^Mr., ,M Grath,entertained feelings -of ithe highest j reswet, for, ..him.. Mr. M l Grath ' had been a. familiar. figure in the Court for somo .years, and manj; of those 'present had mi m 6 ,J n j i ■ : daily / contact - with ■ him. - iJiey . had; been his opponents; in eases ' triedbefore their Worships, and it must be grati-' fying to the chief detective to have earned $ the, goodwill. ,of. those who had been daily •pitted against him. :j If he (the speaker) were l • to endeayour to . discover-the qualities which y;: had.made Mr. M'Grath'respected, he .would not; need to be content" with merely, enumej* ating f his conscientious -pcrformanceof-.hif : :i duty,-, his unfailing courtesy,": and,, his - un.: ,' ' questionable ability. He must also make re- .- ference 'te his invariable; fairness. All . tho , time he had been, in, ■Wellington 1 Mr. M'Grath had been very closely , watched'.,by the mem. ;• bers; of. the legal profession, and .they could say that thoro.nover a police ofnccr who wps - more scrupulously ; fair than' Mr,. ; M'Grath'.: Many and many a time,-when an ; unfortunate person had come, '-before" ths.' Court to bo' dealt with : for. some breach oi • the law, and. was - not represented by coiuiscl, the, chief detectivo had informed . th<i prisoner, of circumstances in -his -favour; -ro . that; he might .have .a' chance; ''It,-- .was ;pria. -r cipally .becauso ho had been fair ,that, those ; who had -watched him appreciated; him. Ho v had often'..been knowii . t-o.'go silently—almost secretly—to; somoVunfortuiiate ■ with : . whom ho had to deal-in the execution of his duty,' and take:him .in" .hand, and endeavour , ■to help, him on!in.life. Those who had to do:_with tho Courts saw phases: of lifo of which . the public ■ knew absolutely nothmg-r--.,*. the. outcasts and'' the flotsam and jetsam of society—rand.it was good for .them ; to know ■ that ; they had had, at. tho head; of the do-. ' tective foroe,; one who had taken' a deep in- i ; ■terest in his work, and wild, in addition ,ta, ' the .faithful. performance of . his . ; arduous ;' duties _as guardian: of the public, had give?' '■ a helping hand to many an unfortunate who' had thought that he had. not a friend in. tho ' world.' In conclusion;; the V. speaikej.wishedi;/ to oongratulate Mr. M'Grath on his well-do-'; i served promotion, and- hoped that he would • have every success in his new sphere of ao» tivity.. ' • . •

A Word From Mr. C. P. Skerrott. > Mr. C. P. Skorrett, K.C., expressed tbfl • pleasure felt by; members of:the 'profession;.''':? at: the/prmotion;of and;theii'V;; confidence' that ho 'wonldfdisch"atgti'--his^7iew;f-: ; :duties : at;Gliristchurbh with-the. : : same'.asßidu-4v; ity and fairness .which' had characterised. him • during his. servico'' in • Wellington. : The conspicUous ability . with : which Mr. M*Grath had, organised, and controlled his department was well-known, as. were the peculiar quail- ■■ locations ho possessed ■ for thg position>-:h9 held; . Tho. ..best principles had . always* actuated Mr. i'M'Grath.iiutha.carryingiout of• .s. his duties, ;.and>no-:onej-Mr. ,Skerrett coo-'.' tended,-, had .',eTer.-)Jieard:iit fraud: that Mr,«lsn M'Grath: had: ever- conducted: a. case beforo ■ the Court manythinE but; the .fairest manner; The older ;niemtere; of ).the'ißar;mighiv",;; perhaps Toiuember. Mr.- M'Grath's;predecessor" in the positipri' of. chief r detective. ,at "Welling- ;.?,- ton, the late Mr'. -Brown. _' ,li might biq;. M'Grath!s.endeavourto^walfcmitne.'.steps.'.of that:good.mini.:that had :giy&;Kim; some.:oi'; ; the qualities which had caused the present spontaneous, expression- of appreciation from - those who were best: able to judge of.him :■ and bis-work. . A pleasing and interesting feature of Mr. M'Grath's; promotion was-the fact that it was'the first'time.'that a inember. of the - detective branch of the polic: . foroe had ever, been promoted to > a position. in what ho might call , i&o oxecutivo u4 ; : v Both Magistrates. Speak*- n.-

Dr. M'Arthur, ;5;M..,. said that: the • : ex- : treme. pleasure which all .must feel at .the promotion'of Mr.'M'Grath must be miligleJ l •: iwith : a pang- of • regret at the thought of lira : approaching departure from amongst thsm.; . It was plaasautito think that;te trad- been - ■■ 'promoted" to -ca st.b-inspectorship,*, and- it • was to bo , hoped that '.when next promotions ' wero going • round,. they should see" him ■ ■ ail inspector. It-had always been a source of Eleasure to him to hear tho-. way. Mr. • I'Grath conducted his icases • ■ before tha'' Court. ,His courteonsness: kindness, and :! . :i fairness were, a lesson to all.' Before ho (the • speaker) went any further)he would like to apologise for tho absence of Mr. T. • M. Wiliord, who was prevented ( through, illhealth from being'amongst fhose who wished! ■: to say good-byo to Mr/ M'Grath. _ Mr. ;Wit ford had sent a telegram, in which he ex- ■ - : pressed his sorrow at not being able to attend, and his hearty appreciation •of:the in- .■. variable' kindness .and' fairness of Mr,. M'Grath. The ohief.detective could have no ■ . ■greater recommendation than that from one 1 who did so large a share,of the criminal work . . in Wcllington-km .tho other side. . Such appreciation was as wholly, creditable as it was - ' r. deserved. ■ Ho wished Mr- M'Grath every -" • sucoess, and could quote tho old words, Vwhat is Wellington's loss wo know full well • . will bo a gain to Christclmrch." ' v . i Mr. W. G. Riddell,; S.M., said that he had little to add to-iho. words..already 'ex- ■ pressed by;,the~ previous; speakers,but. ho! : must; offer., his congratulations ".tothe" new* sub-inspector on his promotion. He. lirst ' imet Mr.:. M'Grath about two. years ago, and jalthough at that timo he was only oil a.short visit to Wellington, ho' was greatly itn- • pressed by the chief detective's style' in Court, and the . manner' in which he conductod This -prosecutions. He still held the high opinion"-1----of Mr. M'Grath's ability • that ho then formed. The; way: he conducted cases mads: him an example to every other member ofthe polico force. ;-It" was truo that -he ;ha<J ; . had a long experience, but even when this - was taken into account his work was of an exceedingly high .character, ;.and. was . wel{ worth watohing and .iinitatihg:- They werq sorry ho was going);'and;, at:.the .same; tim< were glad of . his promotion. • : ;

Mr. M'Crath's Reply. Sub-Inspector M'Grath, in responding briefly, ' said .that in" the/course of any man's '. career thero could be no greater encourago - ment • than to• get praise', from those, com* potent to judge of his work. .Ho t&anked at" present very sincerely for their congratu- . lations, and for speaking so highly of him, He: felt that they had been, over-generout 1 in.their references to his,ability and good qualities, and more than a little blind !to his', faults. .; Unfortunately- the - pleasure;-.of receiving promotion was .mingled With pain a!'■. ; parting .with.;' many members of the fonx with whom 'he had' been long' associated—especially Inspector Ellison andthe., membert of his own staff. ■To the efficiencyof tliai' staff.-was due 'much of the. success-.that hi had had ill dealing. with criminal cases it": Wellington. His. successor in office; Mr. Broberg,was'a':very capable officer,. and would ; carry - out ;his work, with; credit. to himself: •and with benefit to the community.'He miisi- .; acknowledge ,the; kind'consideration' and ; help'' which -he had always: received. • from :• their--: Worships .arid the members of tho Bar, an* indeed from the public generally; during th«. whole of tho time lie had been in Welling ton. -He . must also ."especially, thank th«. pross for many kindnesses. • He had ofter received'valuable, information in: the deteo tion .of crime from, the press; which ' ther&w. fore deserved not only his own thanks, bid that of tho whole community. For help iV : the'past arid-for tho congratulations thai .they had just expressed, he. could no other answer, make but "Thanks," and "Thanks.",