WESTLAND SUPREME COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1921, Page 2

WESTLAND SUPREME COURT.

THURSDAY, SEI’T. Bth. (Before His Honour Justice Hcrdnian). The Court sat at noon. IX DIVORCE. Application to make absolute a decree nisi by Ellen Broadbent against Harry Broadbent. Mr Murdoch for petitioner, respondent not appearing. The order was made. This was the only business. A FAREWELfi. Mr .f. A. Murdoch rising, said: May it please your Honour. This is the last sitting of your Honour at Hokitika as President of this Honourable Court and I desire on behalf of the Junior members of the Bar to Hid you farewell. The senior members of the Bar at Christchurch and at Greymouth have already in most eloquent teyms referred to your Honour’s Presidency of this Court during the period of nearly four years that your Honour has presided over the sittings of the Supreme Court in the Canterbury and Westland Judicial Districts It was with great pleasure we heard and read of the high terms in which the senior members of the Bar referred to your Honour's services and we think it is fitting the Junior Members fdtould join with them in their message of farewell. Me think it is especially fitting that in the cp'preme Court at Hokitika the high regard of the profession should be extended to you for the reason that it was in this Court and in this town that your Honour signalised when at the Bar one of the greatest victories ever won by Counsel in Xew Zealand. It was here that your Honour was successful in a long and protracted trial in finally clearing the names of two innocent men from the stigma of a most horrible crime- a stigma winch had l>een attached to their names as the result of trial by Jury where the Judge presiding at tlte trial had already stated that he agreed with the verdict of guilty brought against these two innocent tin'll. After one of the most strenuous trials and one of the most important eases ever heard m Xew Zealand your Honour was successful wtii'u acting as counsel to reverse the decision of guilt and clear the names „f your clients, one of whom died shortly afterwards, from tile brand of an awful crime and that brand was the brand of Cain. The final decision was proved to la- right because immediately afterwards the perpetrator of the crime himself made his confession of guilt. The success which attended your Honour’s efforts at the Bar were hut the forerunner of the su<~,.s s which attended your Honour’s work on the Bench as has been evidenced hv the eloquent and unanimous tribute’ of the Bar at Cliri -lehim h and (:I'cvmoiith as well as here. On heludf „ r tin- Juniors of the Bar and as nmol' them I wish to thank your Honour for the patience and in fact general indulgence you have extended to the Junior Members of the profession to w hich 1 have the honour ■to belong. S4,in,' Judges have thought it cneumlu'iit upon them to siirrotiml the Bench in order to preserve its dignity with an atmosphere'of aloofness hut your llon,ur has not thinght it necessary so to do. You have on the other hand and hi this 1 am speaking personally extended to Juniors a generous indulgence when perhaps blundering in his work, orohahly from nervousness and b- th-t .indulgence live given confidence to the practitioner which luv resulted not only in benefit to the counsel but to his. clients and to the suitors general!v. and on their behalf I specially wish to thank your Honour for the patience I jji id courtesy extended to us atul to wish your Honour tu the important Judicial District of Auckland a long continuance of health and every prosperity. His Honour said he sincerely thanked Mr Murdoch for his very kind words. It was with sincere regret that lie parted from the bar of the Yt'est Coast and Canterbury. For over 3‘ years it bad been tiis privilege to preside over the Courts iu the district and he had always met with the kindest consideration of the liar. He knew the West Coast before that as a member of the Bar and as Attorney-General and had known it iu the last four years as a judge. During all those years he had been privileged to eome into contad with the West- Coast people and it had been a great pleasure indeed. Mr Murdoch had referred to the junior members. It was not so long ago that lie had been a, junior member of. the bar. and they knew that the young men of to-day are the leaders of tomorrow. It was with extreme pleasure and satisfaction that he had tound , ipiito a number of young men appearing at the bar, and he was pleased with | t!m lucid and convincing manner U. " had made their points. He thanked them Ini' the compliment paid him ar.d would say good-bye with deep regret. He would never forget the happy days spent in Canterbury and the M’est . Coast and would always rememlier their kindness. , His Honour said before leaving the Court ho wished to acknowledge his appreciation of the services rendered by the officers of the Court. Mr Naldor and his assistants. Everything had been done in the most competent fashion. Every attention had been shown by the Depniy Registrar and bis assistants and ho wished to acknowledge their good work. He would now wish them wood-bye with best wishes for the future.