WELCOMED BY THE LAW SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 10

WELCOMED BY THE LAW SOCIETY.

• AN APPRECIATIVE ADDRESS. IMPRESSIONS OF THE ENGLISH BAR. ' At tho Supreme Court yesterday morning, .'the Chief Justice , was. waited upon, in his room, by the" Council of the Wellington' Law. Society,- and. presented with rtn address of welcome,,-. -Every member of the council was .' present Messrs. E. Stafford (president), L' .0. H. Tripp (vicepresident), E, :H. Deaii (treasurer), J. A. Tripe, P. Levi, H. I". Von Haast, D. M. Pindlay, H.. H. Ostler, and Professor Salmond (council). The address presented by the president of the society read as follows:— To his Honour Sir R. Stout, ' K.C.M.G., Chief Justice of the ; Dominion of N.Z. The Council of tho Wellington .' District 'Law Society desires to welcome, your .Honour back to the Dominion.to resume your duties as Chief Justice, a position that you have in the past so honourably and' satisfao- ' torily filled. Tho profession is highly gratified to hear .that your honour is so far restored to health, as to be .able to perform again tho high and important • duties that devolve upon you as Chief Justice, and they feel sure. that, tlio whole community is in agreementwith these views, and sincerely hopes that you may. for many years bo Bp'ared to perform your dutios.

Your Honour's reputation for, industry and application .in disposing of the work of the Court is well known. It was characteristic of your ■, Honour, that; so soon as you landed ' r in; tho Dominion, you at once inti--1 mated your intention of forthwith proceeding to dispose of the business that hgd accumulated in the Wollir.gton district. ■_ Tho council also, ilesires to express its best wishes for tho health and ' welfare of Lady Stout and your family. (Signed) E. STAFFORD, President,: • LEONARD. 0. H. TRIPP, 1 ..- Vice-president. . Tho president said that he was extremely gratified that his honour had completely recovered, and was now in the be3t 'of health. ]Ie had known Sir Robert personally jor. a period of 30 years, and could say that tho bar respected him as a conscientious judge and,. a very hard workers. Sir.-, Robert, spoko., (feelingly in reply, no thanked the Law Society for ■its'ki'ndly greoting, and said that ho.was pleased to be ablo to intimato that ho was completely restored to health. '. He folt very well indeed, and hoped to be ablo to go on with' his work as liereto- ' foTG.'. Ho * -had ■ been able To -soo a good deal of the English Courts , during hia ;visit" to tho Old Land, and'though the English bar included sdnio eminent and brilliant men, he would not say that, the bar of New. Zealand; need,.be,;afraid-sof a comparison..' Judging from the,? way; in which' court of appeal ~ ar; gued here,, he did not thing that : the leaders in the profession,in New Zealand had a great deal to learn from tho,eminent barristers of- tho 01d,.-Couiitry. .-Ho considered that the'industry, and ability of New Zealanders would compare most favourably with that of English legal , : gentlemen; '. Ho appreciated tho good ..wishes', extended to his wifo and family, .-.On. taking, his seat, on the bench to preside .at a Chambers; • sitting of, tho Court, the Chief Justice was again welcomed, thero being present over a score of tho legal: profession.'/.. Mr Martin Chapman, K.C., said that .'the . members 'of the bar in Wellington were glad, to • welcome Sir Robrt Stout back, and were pleased l to see and know that lie had been restoredto health. They; hoped that his Honour' would long bo able to continue his labours on tho bench. : Sir Robert expressed his thanks for tho kindly greeting. of, the profession, and remarked that he was pleased to be able to say that ho felt as strong as ever he had been., He was anxious to get on with tho work again, and was sure that the legal gentlemen were also desirous of proceeding with tho business •of the civil sittings.'-' '.- ; ; \ "