LAW SOCIETY’S CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1929, Page 7

LAW SOCIETY’S CONFERENCE

ADDRESS BY GOVERNORGENERAL.

WELLINGTON, April 3

The second annual conference of the New Zealand Law Society was commenced this morning in Wellington ami was addressed by the Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Charles Kergussou. .Mr A. Gray, K.C., presided. “ The medical and legal professions are the most honourable in the world,” said his Excellency in his address. “ 1 suppose there is no profession which more than yours has a higher standard of integrity, or a higher tradition for scrupulous honesty and directness of purpose. That is your pride which you jealously guard and which you are careful to observe. I want particularly to show honour to your deliberations. That was the reason why I came down Irom Auckland. (Applause.) Alter all, your share in Empire luiildiug is directly or indirectly to administer justice and to preserve an impartial justice between man and mail. One member present said that that was a pernicious heresy and that the task of a lawyer was to win his case. However, the tradition of justice is one of the proudest boast? in the English Constitution and tne great tradition of our race, and I do believe and hope your deliberations here will strengthen your appreciation of the great heritage handed down to you which you are here to preserve, and 1 know you propose to use every effort to hand it down untarnished to your successors. (Applause.)

“ 1 would not like to go away without making reference to the late Sir Charles Skerrett,” said his Excellency. Whether or not history will claim him as a great lawyer or a great Judge lam not competent to say. A on, or those who come alter you, will settle that point, but be was a man who carefully preserved 111 the case of liar or Bench the very highest traditions of your profession. He was scrupulously fair, honest, and straightforward. He was a great sportsman in the best sense <rf the "word.” .

The Attorney-General (the Hon. Mr Hidey) delivered an address on legal education, and expressed the hope that the conference would lie even more successful than that held at Christchurch last year. He said that whenever proposals were made regarding the privileges of those who were on, or were to be placed on, the register, especially regarding the qualifications for registration, the cry of close corporation was almost invariably raised. He considered that objections on that giouncl could not justifiably be taken where the only test of entrance to the profession was one of ability.

FURTHER RESOLUTIONS

WELLINGTON, April 0

The Legal Conference passed a resolution condemning the practice ot the Government trading departments shielding themselves under the name ol the King, and urging that the recover} of debt or damages should he placed ~n the same footing as with private traders.

Among the papers read was one In Mr Donnelly, cvf Christchurch, propos ing that jury lists in cases against bookmakers, should only be given <>in just before a trial. He also contended I hero should be a thorough conscription of jurymen and applications by business men for Exemption should re .eive less consideration.

In another paper, .Mr P. J. O’Begatpronounced in favour of all appointments of judges and magistrates being made by the legal profession and nol by political parties as at present. A le ,f al Senate should be iormed who would make these appointments.