A NOTABLE FIGURE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1930, Page 6

A NOTABLE FIGURE

CHIEF JUSTICE OF AUSTRALIA

Sir Isaac Isaacs, K C.M.G., who succeeded Sir Adrian Knox as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia on the resignation of the hitter at the beginning; of this month, has had a distinguished legal and political career. It has been reported that his name has been recommended to tiie King as the next Gover-nor-General of Australia, in pursuance of the Government’s policy that high offices should be held by an Australian-born citizen. There is no provision for the appointment of an Acting Chief Justice of the High Court. The law requires that wlien the Chief Justice is on leave, or is otherwise precluded from acting, the senior puisne judge shall act in his place. Sir Isaac Isaacs has frequently acted in this capacity in the absence of fir Adrian Knox. From his first appearance at the Victorian Bar he was recognised as a keen, able lawyer, and ids reputation as a constitutionalist ns grown with the years. He was orn at Bceehworth on August 6, USD, and |ie is therefore in his sevAuty-fifth year. He has never associated himself with . sport:yet he moves wit' the alertnessof an. athlete. HD father was Mr Alfred Isaacs, who subsequently iook up Ids' residence in Auburn. Sir Isaac Isaacs received his early education at 1 lie YaokundauirVah State School, subsequently . passing on to the Bceclnvorth Grammar School. At the Melbourne University he took his LL.B. degree in 1880. Subsequently ho became an LL.M. Before going to ihe Bar he had a brief period as a school teacher. Men who followed bis career closely describe bis rise at the Bai as meteoric. He became a Queen’s Counsel ‘in 1.899. Before that, however, lie had entered the State Parliament. He stod for Bogong in 1892 as a I supporter of Mr William Shiels. Subsequently he voted against the Shiels Ministry, and when Sir James Patterson formed a Ministry Mr Isaacs jointed it as Solicitor-General. At that;time there were two law officers oUdho, Crown din Parliament—one Solicitor-General and one AttorneyGeneral. His resignation from this position related to a serious difference of opinion between himself and his colleagues over an important prosecution which followed the land boom. it or idle general election in 1894 Sir James Patterson was defeated, and Sir George Turner formed a. Ministry. . Mr Isacs became AttorneyGeneral:' In' that capacity he introduced a" Companies' Act, which is the foundation of much of the company law of Victoria at the present time. While Attorney-General of the Turner Ministry iic was elected to the convention which was to frame the Feu-i-al Constitution. He took part in ; !v> drafting of the Constitution, and

when, the first Federal Parliament urns ceded iie became member for Inch. He was associated with some of the early political struggles which marked the first years of the Federal .Parliament. A man of restless energy, lie abandoned none of his practice while associating himself with these political struggles. Both in nisi prius causes and in cases involving a pure appeal to haw he stood out as a distinguished practitioner. In 1905 he joined the Deakin Ministry as. At-torney-General. He held that office when, in IDOfip lie was elevated Mo the High Court Bench. On the same day Mr Justice Higgins, who was also a member of Parliament, was appointed to the High Court Bench. The capacity as a lawyer which distinguished Mi' Justice .Isaacs at the Bar has also characterised him upon the Bench. In constitutional cases he has .been not infrequently at variance with his brother judges. This was in cases in which the powers of the Commonwealth and the State bad to be delimited. From the conventions out of which the Federal Constitution arose Sir Isaac Isaacs brought a conviction that the Commonwealth should, as far as possible, be sustained. In 1924 he was created a- Privy Councillor, and on a few occasions lie sat with the .Judicial Committee. He was at that period referred to by one authority as a lawyer of whom any judicial tribunal however exalted, might be proud. He was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George In 1928. Lady Isaacs, who was formerly Miss Jacobs, is abroad. Sbe went to join their two married daughters, who have been touring for some time.