SWORN IN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1592, 8 November 1912, Page 5

SWORN IN.

~« —. —- THE NEW KING'S COUNSEL. Tho ceremony of Bwearing in the now King's Counsel took place iii tho Supreme Court yeslerdny morning, when the building was crowded. The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), and Mr. Justice Edwards wore on the bench, aud tho barristers lately honoured sat in the K.C.'s bench, with tho Attorney-General (the Hon. A. L. HerdiiKiiO. The order of precedenco was tho Solicitor-General (Mr. J. W. Salmond), Mr. A. Gray, and Mr, C. B. Morisou. Among those, present were: Sir John Findlay, K.C., Mr. C. P, Skeri'elt, K.C., tho City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Sheu), and several other members of the Bar. After the letters patent had been read by tlie Registrar (Mr D. G. A. Cooper), the Chief Justico called upon the three iiosv lv.C's to take the oath. Tho form of letters patent of the Solici-tor-General reads as follows:— "Qeorgo tho Fifth, by tho Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great ' Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas,' King, Defender of tho Faith', Emperor of India, "To our trusty and loving subject, John William Salmond, of, Wellington, New Zealand, Esquire, Barrister at Law. Greeting. "Wp, confiding in your knowledge, experience, prudence, ability, and integrity, do, by those presents, nominate, constitute, and appoint you the said John William .Salmond, being our Solicitor-General for our Dominion of New Zealand, to bo one of our counsel learned in the law for our ■ said Dominion, for and during our pleasure, and you are to discharge the trust hereby reposed in. you With a due respect to all our rights and prerogatives and the good of our subjects, according to law/' Appended were the signatures of his Excellency the Governor, tho AttorneyGeneral, and the Clerk of tho Executive Council. The' letters patent of tlie other two gentlemen contained a reference to the order of precedence, ' / The oath administered reads as follows:— . "I. . ... do idcclare that well and truly I will servo the' King as ono of his counsel • learned in the law, and •truly council.the King iii his matters When I shall bo called, and duly and .truly minister the King's matters and sue the King's process after the course . of the law, and after ni.y cunning. For any matter against. the King, when the King is party, I will tako no wage nor fee of any man. I will duly in convenient time speed such matters as any person shall have to do in the law against the King as-1 may lawfully do without long delay, trading. Or tarrying the party of his lawful process in that to me belongeth. I will be attendant to the Kkj£s matters when I be called thereto. So ■ help me God." . The Chief Justice then addressed the new K.C.'s. Ho said it gave him much pleasure- to'congratulate them on. tho ■ honour {hat had been conferred on them.. They had all had distinguished careers in the past that had earned them the respect of their follow members of the Bar. JIo lelt suro that in.the future they Would carry on their careers in the same distinguished manner. AUCKLAND" APPOINTMENTS. '. Messrs. J. a. Reed and F. Earl, of Auckland, have been appointed K.C.'s, Mr. J. R-. Reed was born in Ipswich, Queensland, in 18G4, and is.the eldest son of, Mr. George M'Cullough Reed, who was for majiy years connected with the editorial staff of the Auckland. "Herald." Mr, Reed has been in practice in' Auckland since IS9G. In August, 1911, he was appointed' Judge Advocate General of the Territorial Forces of New.. Zealand, and in that -capacity he controls the administration, of military law in the- Domin r •ion. :-i--Ho. was at:-onetinte-president' of the Auckland Law Society;." -"■ Mr. F. fell ivas bom in Melbourne. He matriculated at tho age' of-fourteen years,, and..a..year, later was studying-at 'Trinity College, .Melbourne v He'has-beett in practice in* Auckland: since 1880; He has to soiiiH extent specialised in eases connected'with Maoris. In nearly every important case. l for tttenty years past in which the- Natives have been concerned, lie has held a brief. His first important engagement of the kind Was when. the late Sir Frederick WMtaker, then Attorassigned him a brief as counsel to Maluiki and, other tnrbulent Natives,' who resisted surveys Of their lands aud caused much excitement. -He appeared with Mr. Cooper(hOw Justice Cooper) as counsel for the Natives concerned in-tiie "Waiina Rebellion," And .his. latest important case tfas that connected with the ownership df. Lake Rotorua, recently argued in Wellington by Mr, C, P. Sker* rett, K.C., on bis behalf. THE REGENfAPPOINTMENTS. : DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT, ■ The appointment of King's Counsel in New Zealand was discussed at longth in the. Howe of Representatives yesterday, and particular refervneo -was made to tho recent appointment • of five additional ICG's. The subject was raised by Sir J. Ward, who asked .what methods were followed in making the appointments, . Mr.. L; M. Isitt said that he had never heard.of Mr. Morisoh -as ono'of the mostdistinguished lawyers in tbis country,, but he had heard of him as.« very strong nild enthusiastic supporter of tho Reform ptt/ty. Lawyers in Wellington weto already beginning l to say that it Was a case of "spoils to. tile victors." The Hon. A- L. Herdnian said that the practi.cn followed in this country in ap* pointing K.C.'s was- tlio Same- as that followed in Great Britain. Th* appointments Were made'by the Chief Justice. .'■ v . ,' Sir .t. Ward.; They are recommended to him first nnd he-appoints them. Mr. Hefdmon said, that tho first 6tep for those who desired the honour was to make application. Applications were sent on immediately to the Chief Justice... Ho did not know of any barrister Outside tho iarger cities Who had 1 applied. Sir J. Ward: I don't know of any. ' Mr, ■ Hcrdman; Then why object and make a fuss? The gentlemen appointed, he continued, had been appointed only becauso they wore leaders! at the Bar of Neiv Zealand. Mr. Mo'risoft was recognised as a leading authority oh company Iftff by ■virtue of tho work he had published. As to what Mr, Isitt had' Said, he (the MM-' ister) knew most of the members of the legal profession in Wellington, and lie had not heard any of them allege political influence in connection With tno appoints mentofJCCs. Sir J. Ward said that he had not known that lawyers were required to apply to' be ' appointed ICG's, The appointment rested finally with the Attorney-General on behalf of the Government. Mr. T. H, Davey said that In ChriStchurch there wos only one K„0. ■■■ i Mr, Isitt said that one of the Auokland ! appointments was distinctly suggestive in view of recent developments. Dr. .A. K. -Nettin.ah strongly defended the appointment of Mr. Morison, of whom he spoke as a lawyer of repute, and an ! author of standard kgal works. ' Mr. W. H. D. Bell said that there'was a reason for the preponderance of King's Counsel in Wellington, and that reason was a question of supply and demand. A K.C. had certain, disabilities. .It*, could not go into the Supremo Court without a junior, and he could not go into o, lower court w'ithout a minimum fee. In Wellington the Court of Appeal sat frequently, and when the Court of Appeal was not' sitting tho Supreme Court sat almost continuously. King's Counsel wwe thus enabled to obtain continuous, employment iu Wellington. In other towns tho Supreme Court did not sit so constantly and few applications for appointments as K.C.'s came from those towns. Mr. Bell defended tho appointment of Mr. Mori- | son as in every wny suitable. I Messrs. Statham aiid Lea also defended Mr. Morison's appointment.