A VETERAN MAGISTRATE.

Shannon News, 13 September 1927, Page 1

A VETERAN MAGISTRATE.

MR P'OYNTON TAKES A HOLIDAY.

One of the features of life in the colonies is the opportunities that are afforded to men who will take advantage of them to reach a higher level of life than that to which they were born (states the Auckland Star). An apt illustration is' Mr. J. W. Poynton, who from yesterday started on a six months vacation which was due to him as he had not taken a holiday for the past thirteen years. A representative of the Star had an interesting chat with Mr. Poynton upon his past career, which should serve as .a stimulus to young men to aim high. Born at Kynet-on, Victoria, on December 11, 1861, Mr. Poynton came across to the Bluff two years later with his parents, his being the late Mr. Joseph Poynton. The family went to the West Coast. The father walked from Mataura to Dunedin, and from Chirstclmrch to the West Coast. Meanwhile the family lived at Invercargill until 1867, when the father sent for them. “I had attended school'at Invercargill, *’ said Mr. Poynton, “but when we moved to the West Coast there was no school to attend, as we were at the New River. I had thus time to study birds and plants for the want of other schooling, and that had a good deal to do Avith my later paying much more attention t,o the scientific side of those subjects.” A Young Miner. “When I Avas 12 years old, I went goldmining. I had a miner’s right issued to me and got a little gold. At the age of 16 I Avent underground goldmining at Maori Creek, on- the West Coast, and that was the start of my liking for geology, which I have since studied from a more scientific aspect. After 10 years goldmining, I made up my mind to be a doctor, and Avhile studying for that profession, got a knoAvledge of physiology and drugs, which I have often found of use in my duties as coroner. It was meeting Sir Robert Stout on the West Coast when he was Premier that caused me to turn to law. He appointed me a justice of the peace, and to fit me for my duties I started to study law. It was before the matter of a student passing in the law Avas handed OA’er to the University. Then the judges attended to it. - I passed the general knowledge examination at Hokitika in 1888. Tn March, 1889, I started to study for the law examination, and passed successfully the folloAving September. I practised my profession in Wellington till May, 1895, Avlien I Avas appointed . stipendiary magistrate .t Invercargill. Five years later I was appointed Public Trustee under the administration of the Hon. R. J. Scddon, and after another five years was made secretary for the Treasury and Superintendent of Advances to Settlers. Then my health broke doAvn. Back jto the Bench. “In 1913 I Avent back to the Bench, and Avas stationed at Palmerston North, and in 1918 Avas transferred to Auckland, where I have since remained. I have been interested in practically all scientific subjects, and. in conclusion I may say that the miners on the West Coast Avere men of a splendid type. Of course they were really selected specimens of manhood, as on the goldfields the Aveaklings fall by the way. Goldminers must be men of resource, as they are their ■ oavu blacksmiths and engineers; that- naturally has the effect of making them -sclf : reliant. “