SIR JOSHUA WILLIAMS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1887, 23 October 1913, Page 8

SIR JOSHUA WILLIAMS.

. RECENT ELEVATION. TRIBUTE BY COMBINED BAR. There was a largo assemblage of members of the Bar nfc the Supreme Court yesterday morning to extend congratulations to the Right Hon. Sir Joshua Williams on his elevation to the. Privy Council. Seldom have so many legal representatives assembled in the building at the ianio time. Amongst the hundred or so present, over thirty were in barristers' wigs and gowns, these including six King's Counsel. Sir Joshua Williams was associated on the Bench with Their Honours Mr. Justieo Denniston, Mr. Justice Cooper, Mr. Justice Edwards, and' Mr. Justico Chapman, andi amongst thoso assembled to ioin in the congratulations wore tho Attorney-General (the Hon. A. L. He-rdman), the SolicitorGeneral (Mr. J. W. Salmond, K.C.), the Crown Solicitors (Mr. 11. H. Ostler' and Mr. P. S. IC. Manassey), Mr. Martin Chamnan, K.C.,; Sir John Findlay, Iv.C.; Mr. C. P. Skorrett, K.C.; Mr. A. Gray, K.C.: Mr. Bell, K.C.; Mr. J. 11. Luntloii (Auckland), Br. M'Artlmr, S.M.; Mr. W. G. Rickkll, S.M.; Superintendent J. W. Ellison, Mr. Cooper (Registrar'), and others. Tho gathering also included ladies. Those present remained standing during the speeches. ATTORNEY-GENERAL. SPEECH ON BEHALF OP BAR. The Hon. A. L. Herdman, wbo spoko on behalf of the Bar, said that the members of. the Bar, having heard of the honour and distinction which His Majesty tho King had been pleased to confer upon His Houmir Sir Joshua Williams, lind assembled that morning for the purpose of doing him honour and of offering their warmest congratulations on His Honour's accession to tho dignity of that high office. That event marked an epoch in the history of the administration of justice in Now Zealand, for, liever before, had the 1)0minion been represented on' tho Judiciary Committee of the Privy Council by a representative from the Zealand Bench. 1 For 38 long years His Honour had served His Majesty tho King faithfully in their Courts of Justice, and His Honour had served his King in a way which had commanded the respect and the confidence of the .citizens of the country. During those 33 years great changes had taken place; Judges had come and gone, members of tho profession had been admitted to the Bar by His Honour and lintl grown old practising at tho Ear, and a long procession of litigants bad passed before His Honour. Great changes also bad taken placo in the country; the conditions had altered, their laws had changed, and small towns had 1 grown into laTgc cities, yc-t notwithstanding all those clianees'and through all thoso vicissitudes His Honour had managed to maintain' the respect, confidence, and keen admiration of alj who had had tho pleasure of eomiiig into contact with him. His Honour had managed, in some wonderful wav, to have mastered the sccret of caininsr tho confidence of people. Proceeding, tho AttorneyGeneral said that the members of tho Bar liad assembled in sincerity to offer to His Honour their coiipratulatione, and added that when His Honour went across tho seas ho might rest assured that lie had left an example behind liiin 111 New Zealand which they should all endeavour to emulate in the future, and that he would leave inomories that would never bo forgotten. When His Honour was discharging his duties iiv his new sphere, ho <the sneaker) ventured. to express the hope that ho would be long spared to render great servicti to His Maiestr the King, that he might have a life of hafipiness in the future, and that he might long be spared In carry out the duties of which ho Was bo fond—the administration of justice. HIS HONOUR. TOUCHING FAREWELL SPEECH. _ Sir Joshua Williams spoke with coi> siderable feeling, and with nmistial hesitation. He commenced by remarking that he was profoundly moved at seeing so large a.n assembly of members of tho Bar to wish him—he Was afraid —"farewell." The Attorney-General had been kind' enough to refer to his (the speaker's). long services, and had said a great deal fob much respecting his _ services to the State during that period. They had congratulated _ liim on the high honour which His Majesty had been pleased to confer upon him, and he confessed that it was an honour which was well worth having, though it appeared to him that it ought to cawy with it eorrcs]>onding duties. Ho had always thought that the. fact of the existence of an ultimate tribunal was a very important factor ill strength- 1 citing tho bonds of Empire. Tho Dominion. had heretofore not been represented on that tribunal. If it was represented it should bo represented by a Judgo who was prepared to take part in tho, deliberations of that' tribunal; otherwise the honour of being a member would bo merely an empty oiie. Consequently if tho Dominion was to bo represented it must bo represented bv a Judge who had retired from office. Now Zealand was not so favourably situated as tho Dominion of Canada or even the Dominion of South Africa, where a Judge _ could pcrfom his duties in tlio Dominion and also attend tho sittings pf Hie Judiciary Committee, but New Zealand was a. great dear too far away for that. Ho also thought that a Jud'£« who represented the Dominion should be ; ono who was in touch with the Dominion, and that a Judge ought not to represent tho Dominion for any very lengthened period. He trusted that his appointment- would pave the way for other mombers of the Bench whoft they retiro to take up similar duties. Reasons for Retiring. Ho was retiring, proceeded His Honour, because he felt that as one got older one's physical conditions were not so favourable as they used to bo. He found tho long ahd constant sittings rathor too much _ for him. So far as one's mental faculties wore concerned, a Judge was the last man -to say whether they were failing or not —that was a matter for the nrofession and, the Public to consider. Ho was exceedingly sorry to break the happy links whieh liad existed for so many years between ': himself, the nrofession, and the public,' and ho was also very sorry to break the « links of friendship which had existed | throiifrhont that long period between . himself and brother Judges, ■ past and ; present. "Hope It Will Not Bfl For Ever," He had much to tlmnk that. Dominion j for. Not only had lie to thank memhei* of the Bar for their uniform \cflurtesy ' and kindness, but the press also for the ' too favourable way in which throughout his career it'had dealt with him. "1 hope when I leave New Zealand." added ' Hisr Honour, "that it will not be for ever, but that before I die I itiay have ' I'm opportunity of returning here. I owe all I have in tho world to New Zealand, and von may bo assured of this, that in. tho smoke and roar and ] the magnificence of London I shall never forget tho country and the people which I hare left. I trust, with God's , help, that I may be enabled to do my j tluty and reflect credit on tins Dominion i in tho state of life to which I liavo i now been called. I thank you from the c bottom of my heart for your kindness." i a Warner's Rust-proof Corsets' Do you fl know that every Warner Pattern is'do- " signod by an expert in Human anatomy? Ono who knoivs exactly where to place I the boning for support without annoying I mcssure. Wellington Dxmrs.—Advt. -\L a