PRESENTATION TO MR. R. P. WARD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 73, 20 December 1918, Page 5

PRESENTATION TO MR. R. P. WARD

TRIBUTES FROM'BENCH AND BAR. There was a large assemblage of members of the Bar at the. Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon to bid farewell to the Clerk of the Court, Mr. H, P. Ward, who has,, been transferred to Dunedin, where lie'has been appointed Registrar of the Supreme Court and Sheriff. On tho Bench were Afessrs. AV. G. Riddell, S.M., D. G. A. Cooper, S.AI., and F. V. Frazer, S.M. Air. P. Levi,- vice-president of the Law Society, said that it gave him great plea•sure on behalf of Sir John Findlay,.the presidentof the society, who was unavoidably absent, to express the appreciation of the members of the Bar for the courteous treatment they had always received at the hands of Mr, Ward. He was sure that in his new sphere he would be thoroughly successful, and he would go forward with the best wishes of all the 'immhers of the AA'ellinglon Bur. On behalf of the Bar, Air. Levi presented '•!r. Ward with a gold watch, suitably inscribed. Air. W. G. Riddell, S.M.. congratulated Mr. Ward on his promotion. He mentioned that Mr. AVard commenced his career in the service as a cadet in the Wellington Magistrate's Court office. In all the offices he had hold, Air. AV'.ird had shown himself to be an excellent officer, as he possessed'all the necessary attributes making for success in a Court official. The public, also, had found Mr. AVard to be an excellent adviser. Throughout his stay in AVellington during the past live years Air. ASard'had always held, the confidence of the Magistrates and the Bar. They regretted having to lost! the services of such an efficient officer, but on behalf of the staff of the Court he wished to congratulate Mr AVard on the promotion ho justly deserved. In reply, Mr. Ward thanked Mewrs. Riddell and Levi for what they hud said regarding him. It was thirty-four years since he had first begun work in Hi." AVellington Court as a boy. and he referred to his old associations with members of the legal profession, who wore i'"w well known and rcspecKl member' of the Bar. He paid a tribute lo the manner in which the Court office stuff hnd carried out their duties, pnrlirnliHy the cadets. He thanked those oresent for the gift they had presented him with, and •.issiired them that although lie was going In take up higher duties, he felt genuine , regret at lenvimr AVellington and the manv frionds he had made here.