A Popular Magistrate.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 28 November 1912, Page 3

A Popular Magistrate.

Mil A. D. THOMSON'S LEAVE-

TAKING

Mr A. I). Thomson, S.M., who lias been appointed one of the three Public Service Commissioners for New Zealand, said farewell to the local bar at Levin to-day (Thursday). He said he would take that opportunity of thanking them for the assistance they had been to him throughout his official connection with Levin; he was glad to say the relations betwee'n the bench and bar had been most cordial during the whole time he had been here. Mr W. S. Park, as the oldest practising solicitor in Levin, said he niiist thank his Worship for his kindly references and express tlic bar's regret thnt they were about to lose Mr Thomson. Mr Park also testilied to the extreme patience and searching enquiry directed by Mr Thomson into every case brought before him; it was « high standard indeed that was set him. Mr P. Harper concurred thoroughly in Mr Park's remarks, and wished M r Thomson every success in the future, while Mr O. Blenkhorn iulded that the courtesy and consideration extended to members of the har by Mr Thomson, S.M., always had been marked. A MERITORIOUS APPOINTMENT. The appointment of Mr A. D. Thomson, S.M., to be one of the Public Service Commissioners for New Zealand shows sound judgment on the part of the Government. Speaking from a long observation oi Mr Thomson, in his posts of clerk of court and Stipendiary Magistrate, we can say that he has shown in a marked degree the combination of trctfulness, firmness and aciunon: a painstaking and exhaustive analytical quality; and a most just exactness in matters greait or small. It is a far-off event since as referee in a football match he awarded us a try (despite the protestations of two untruthful opponents who had grabbed, the ball away from us after we had scored at the end of a long breakaway), but we well remember it. His good judgment in that small matter presaged his future great success. And the degree of accurate deduction and judgment from demeanour, manner ami what not that lie then displayed has been only accentuated by oni' less personal experiences of him in the more material avenues of endeavour. The many line qualities he has shown in his several spheres of action to date should help to make notably successful his career as a Public Service Commissioner.