TWO JUDGES DUE TO RETIRE THIS YEAR

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5299, 11 January 1947, Page 5

TWO JUDGES DUE TO RETIRE THIS YEAR

Mr. justice Blair And Mr. Justice Johnston Mr. Justice Blair and Mr. Justice Johnston are due to retire irom the Supreme Court bench this year. Mr. Justice Johnston reaehes the retiring age of 72 in April, and Mr. | Justice Blair, who is the senior puisne judge, will reufh that age later in the year. . The Judicature Act provules tor the compulsory retirement of judges on reaching the age of 72^ and when the. term of the former Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, was extended by one year a special Act of Parliament was passed to validate the extension.

At present the Supreme Gouro bench is up to ijie full strength allowed hy law, but it is within the powers of the Governor-General to appoint temporary judges to cope with any extraordinary vacancies which may occur. With Mr. Justice Finlay acting as | chairman of the Gaming' Ccinmission from the start of the legal year in Kebruary, the bench will be one judge short during what is usually a very busy period. On the retirement of Mr. Justice Blair, Mr. Justice Kennedy will become the senior puisne judge. The only stipendiary magistrate reaching the retiring age of 68 within the next twelve moriths is Mr. J. L. Stout, senior magistrate at Wellington. However, it is not expected that Mr. Stout will go- on his retiring leave until towards the end of the year and it is unlikely that any new appointment wil be made until 1948.