HON T. M. WILFORD

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1929, Page 10

HON T. M. WILFORD

CEREMONY AT SUPREME

COURT

The ceremony of "calling within the bar" the Hon. T. M. Wilford on his receiving letters patent as King's Counsel took place at the Supreme Court to-day. ' The Hon. M. Myers (Chief Justice) presided. Amongst those present were Mr. A. Gray, K.C., Mr. A. Fair, K.C. (Solicitor-General), the Stipendiary Magistrates in Wellington, and many members of the legal profession. Mr. J. T. Bishop represented the Department of Justice.

The letters patent, read by the Chief Justice, contained the following declaration:— "We, confiding in your knowledge, experience, prudence, ability and integrity, do by these presents nominate, constitute, and appoint you, the said Thomas Mason Wilford, to be one of our Counsel learned in the law in our Dominion of New Zealand."

The new King's Counsel made the following declaration:—

"I, Thomas Mason Wilford, do declare that well and truly I will serve the King as one of his counsel learned in the Law, and truly counsel the King in his matters, when I shall be called, i,nd duly and truly minister the King's matters and sue the King's process after the_ course of the law and after my cunning: For any matter against the King, where the King is party, I will take no wages 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 I may lawfully do without long delay, tracting, or tarrying the party of his lawful process in that that to me belongeth. I will be attendant to the King's matters when I be called thereto."

CHIEF JUSTICE'S ADDRESS,

The Chief Justice said: "I have much pleasure, Mr. Wilford, in calling you within the Bar."

Mr. Wilford then took his seat within the Bar.

"I had hoped," continued the Chief Justice, "when the appointment was [being made, that you would at once commence and continue to exercise the privileges conferred, and assume the obligations imposed, by the possession of the Patent. But I recognise that your new appointment as High Commissioner has prevented that for the time being, and I take the opportunity of congratulating you as a member of the ■ profession on your appointment to that high office.

_ 'I used the .words just now 'for the time being,' because I hope that at the end of your term as High Commissioner we shall see you back here in your place in this Court, and that you will have many years enjoyment in active practice of the honour that this patent confers upon you. That is what the Patent is intended for. It is not intended to be given to a practitioner, however eminent, merely to carry with him into retirement. The Patent not only confers a privilege and an honour: it .mpcses obligations, not only express, but implied—and the implied are greater than the express because they involve the responsibility of leadership of the Bar and of helping ma way that only leaders can do the younger men of the profession to maintain in their integrity the great traditions established in England and followed in this country. The express obligations are greater since the Law Practitioners Amendment Act, 1915 because one of them is that the holder of a patent granted sine,e that year shall not practice as a solicitor. It is greatly to be desired in the interests of the profession, and, I believe, of the public, that the patent shall not be allowed to fall into desuetude. I know that it requires a certain amount of courage for a practitioner to give up practice as a solicitor, and restrict himself to practice as a barrister only, but X take the opportunity of expressing the hope that from time to time the leaders for the time being of the Bar will take their courage in both hands and not hesitate to make the necessary application required by the rules governing the-granting of the Patent "