CIVIL APPOINTMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 730, 1 February 1910, Page 6

CIVIL APPOINTMENTS.

NEW DEPARTMENTAL HEADS. ■, • ' IMPORTANT' CHANGES. Four'. important civil appointments were .announced by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday aa. follow:— "Mr. J.;W. Poynton, Public.Trustee, to be Superintendent of the State' Guaranteed Advances Department, a new Department .created by legislation of last year, regulations affecting the conduct of which will be issued shortly. Dr. F. Fitchett, Solicitor-General, to be Public Trustee, vice Mr. J. W.; Poynton. '. Mr. F.' G. B,' Waldegrave, at present tinder-Secretary for Justice, to be Undersecretary in charge of the Police and Justice Departments.;.. ■•, .'-...'. ' ■'■ Professor - J. W;. Salmond, Counsel to the . Law 'Drafting Department, to be, also, Solicitor-General, vice' Dr. Fitchett. , ■ Mr.-P. Corliss, to be Commissioner of Stamps, vice Mr..■.C. A. St. G. Hickson, retired. ' ■;..: : ■"'..■'; v. : ' \- ; '. . •■. Biographical: Mr. J. W. Poynton. A brief biographical note of:the four officers who have just -received this step in promotion may be.of interest:—

The , head of the new State Guaranteed Advances Department is a native of Victoria.' ' He. was born in 1861, and: edu-. cated at private schools. ..Subsequently ho exploited various goldfields, but latterly . gave. himself' up to more studious pursuits. He was admitted' to : the New Zealand Bar in 1891, and . four years later became, stipendiary ■ at Invercargill. ■Hβ was regarded 'as a sound lawyer and capable magistrate. In 1900 he "succeeded: Mr. J.",C. Martin as Public Trustee. . ■~".- .-.: " /: j Dr. F. Fitchett. ''■•.' ' ■ The new Public Trustee is a native of England, and has had' a brilliant career in the Victoria and New Zealand Universities., He was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1881, practising his profession ; in ; Dunedin until 1894. During that .period he represented the Liberal interests of Dunedin Central in thePafliament'of 1887-1890, and became Whip for his.party.oln 1894 he was-appointed Law Draughtsman'and Crown Law Officer, and Solicitor-General.' Dr. Fitchett has been a-member of , the New/Zealand University Senate since 1883. In 1907-he represented New Zealand' at the Joint, Conference in London of French, , British, and; colonial delegates on'the' New Hebrides' question. Last winter- he accompanied dhe Prime Minister ■ (Sir. Joseph -Ward), When' the latter ■ attended the Naval Conference in London.. ''. ','■'• ' .' ..' .-'•'■

; : V Mi;. F. GIB. Waldegrave. . :'. Mr. Frank G. B. Waldegrave. is ~a native of Wellington. He was. born in ■October, 1858, and'.educated privately. In 1874. he entered the Civil Service, and subsequently acted as private, secretary to several of the Cabinet Ministers.' He became Chief Clerk in, the' Justice Department. in : 1889, ■. and Registrar of Patents in 1896,' resigning the latter office in 1907. Mr. , Waldegrave has also sat on the.Post and Telegraph Appeal Board, and the Civil Service,-Guarantee Board.

Professor J.,W. Salmond.'. 'Professor' J. •■■W... Salmond, ■ the ■ new Solicitor-General,' is a native of North Shields, England, and a' son of Professor Salmond, D.D., of 'Otago University. • He was educated at .the Otago and London Universities, and admitted' to the ■ New Zealand. Bar in'lßß7; In 1897 he. was appointed professor of law in "Adelaide University, where he remained until 1906. He- became Counsel to- the Law Drafting Office iin Wellington- in , ' 1307.' Legal ,works:'' "Essays., in Jurisprudence, and Legal History" (1901); '.'Jurisprudence" (1902),-"Law., of Torts"'.(l9o7). . ' '..',. Mr. P. Corliss. : . '■":": :Mr. •?.: : Corliss, .' Commissioner :■ -,'of Stamps,' is a native of Wanganui,. and entered v the Civil Service in . 1869, serving in ■&<)■ Stamps Office until 1876, when he was transferred, to Invercargill. " He subsequently, 'became .Deputy ■ Commissioner for Stamps. at'. Dunedin, : whicli position he held for about'. 25 years. Last April he. assumed charge of the Stamp Office on Mr. ; C. A. St.' G. -Hickson's retirementj <.. : . , 0i:,.; ._■ " , : .