LORD ALVERSTONE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1916, Page 6

LORD ALVERSTONE.

AX USEFUL FRIEND. j THE MOKAU ESTATE CASE. In a recent number of London Truth, there arc some chatty notes concerning the character and career of the late Lord Alverstone, which are of special interest to New Zealanders, 'because they tell a new story of the jurist's concern with the famous Mokati ease. In the days when Lord Alverstone was still •'Dick Webster" to his acquaintances (says the writer), he was not universally popular, and lie sometimes incurred dislike. He was naturally inclined to be cold and reserved, and in struggling against this quality he would put on a cordiality of manner which had an air of being forced and exposed him to the imputation of insincerity. He was not the sort of man to make intimate friendships readily, but. as always happens in those eases, a better friend nobody could wish to have. Another admirable trait in his character was his keen interest 111 boys and young men, ami his readiness to undertake any trouble for their benefit This was part and parcel of the , keen interest in athletics which lie kept up all his life. Any kind of philanthropic or social work which promised to be useful to the rising generation found in him instantly sympathy and support. Lord Alvei'stone's constancy in friendship was well illustrated in the extraordinary history of Mr. Joshua Jones and the Mokau estate. "Mr .Jones,' 1 continues the writer, "was a typical 'squatter' and frontiersman, who came to London the owner of r>".000 acres of land in Xew Zealand, which in a few weeks passed into the possession of his solicitor. The fight which he subsequently wsg'cd for fifteen years—alas! in vail'.—to reco\er whut he had lost occupied at times every branch of -the Supreme Court, as well r* the Eankruptev and Central Criminal Courts. In this heroic fight, Mr. Jones, a forlorn, penniless man and a complete stranger in London, found two friends. One of them was the late Lord Alverstone: the other was a humble newspaper. At the end of the first round in the fight—in which Mr. Jones got into Chancery and eamc out hopelessly beaten —the- late Lord Chief Justice was Attorney-General. He interested himself in the case, looked into the paper (aireadv voluminous) and communicated officially to the Incorporated Law Society, his opinion being Hint the conduct of the solicitor required their consideration. The Society were not to be moved even by an AttorneyGeneral. A year or two later, when Sir. Jones first found his way +o Truth office. he took the liberty nf asking Sir Richard Webster privately his opinion ot the ease. Tie gave it unhesitatingly. In innn Sir Richard became Master of the Bolls, and one of his first steps in that office was !o use his general jurisdiction over solicitors by ordering the Incorporated Law Society to hold the enquiry which they had refused to liim when he was Attorney-General. The enquiry was held, and resulted adversely to the solicitor concerned. The success did not put Mr, Jones on his legs, hut it was ne fault of the Master of the 'Rolls that ii did not do so. "Not till many years afterwards did I learn the explanations of Lord Alverstone's interest in Joshua .Tones, which puzzled us all at the time. It wn* this: Long years before, when .Tones was a prosperous man in Australia, he had most generously befriended a complete stranger, to him who wps in a serious difficulty and who happened to he a near relative of the ]a»e Chief Justice. When he was himself walking the streets of London, penniless and friendless, he happened to meet that same man. In this way the ntorv of the Mokau Estate became knojrn to Lord Alverstone. with the results above related. Mr. .Tones told me the facts in confidence a few years ago when lie was leaving England, but now that Mr. Jones' benefactor is dead I think they deserve to be known. Tile very last time T ever met Lord Alverstone he enquired if I knew what had become of Mr. Jones, and showed that he still felt an interest in him. This is a long t story, but it proves tile proposition . that Lord Alverstone was a good man to have for a friend."