OBITUARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1746, 5 June 1888, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR JUSTICE JOHNSTON.

.; Government on Sandayj|eceived a cable meaaage Agept-General announcing the i death ■;< pf- Mr Juatioo Johnston; who recently, proceeded Home for.-the benefit of his health. The following details regarding thd career of the late Judge are taken 'from Mr Cox’s “Men of Mark in Zealand ” ; Alexander, James Johnston, Judge of the Supreme Court, was born at Aberdeen, 15th January, 1820, . and educated at Mariachal College, and at King’s College;'London, and in Pari*. He took the M.A. degree at Aberdeen in 183 ft, and 1 entered the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn! N ovember, 1838. He was admitted Special Pleader in 1841, and published a short treatise on “ Exchequer Bills ’’ to 1 1842.' "Having been called to theßtir By the Honorable Society of the Middle Temple in January, 1843, be went the. Northern Circuit 1 and the West Biding (Yorkshire) Sessipas from 1843 to 1858; He; was Deputy!Seconder of Leeds in .1857. He also practised in Westminster Hall and Committees.- , Along with the Hon. (now Mr Justice) Oi Denman and Ifr J. R. Bulwer be contributed the reports of the Court of Common Pleas tb the W (Law Journal ” from 1847 to 1858.< Mr’ Johnston was selected 1 as Puisne J odge'of New Zealand, pursuant to’a joint'resolution of both -. Houses of the Generali Assembly, received Her Majesty's warrant in ApriVy 1858. He arrived in New Zealand, October, 1858, and feiided at Wellington till 1875, and since at Christchurch, He acted as Chief Justice in 1867 and io 1884, Three volumes of “Reports of the Court of-Appeal,” 1867 to 1877, were published by him in New Zealand ; and thiW editions of the‘“New Zealand Justice of the Peace’ and Coroner, ’’ 1863, ? 1870, and 1879 ; also, “ Practice of the Supreme Court.” Mr 1 Justice Johoston has been a memDer of a number of Royal Commissions; among others, p£ the

Statute Law Consolidation Commission, 1879, He tried the greater part of the Native prisoner* daring the wars of ie Kooti and Titokowaru, and ,the Maungatapu murderers. He ha* on* son A. R. Fletcher Johnston—a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court. At the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday morning, reference was made to the death of His Honor the late Judge Johnston. A full Bench and Bar, with a •umber of visiting barristers, were present Tbs Chief Justice, addressing the Attorney-General said he well knew how wall the late Judge performed bis duties. He wae possessed of groat natural ability, and hie loss would be deeply regretted by the Bench, Bar, and public. Sir F. Whitaker, on behalf of the New Zealand Bar, said that thirty years ago it had been his privilege as Attorney-General to welcome the late -judge to the shores of New Zealand, and to .subsequently congratulate him on his appointment as a Judge. During thirty years he had administered jnitice in the broadest sense, and had not only Judge,but as citizen and neighbor, been highly eateemed by all, and he wrs a notable example to the legal profession. It was the first occasion in New Zealand where a Judge bad died a Judge, as sll previous holders of office had resigned before death. In conclusion he regretted the death of so distinguished a Judge and trusted he would receive the reward of the just. The Court out of respect adjourned till the following day. , MR BESWICK, R.M. Yesterday morning hews was re- — csived in Tomnka of the death of Mr ; J. S. Beswick, Resident Magistrate, ~ . which took place at Timafn on Sunday ' evening. For some tithe Mr Beswick’s health had been failing him, and* few months ago he was relieved of his duties on sick leave. Ws take the following particulars of the deceased-gentleman’# career from last night’s Timarh Evening ‘ filiail ft—At his residency, Waimataitai, yesterday evening, Joseph Sutton Beswict, Resident Magistrate for Sooth Canterbury district, who has been on sick leave for some time, died at the age of fifty-seven years. Mr Beswick took ; Charge of the Magistracy of the South Canterbury district on the Ist January, 1882, and occupied that position up to the time of bis death, As a magistrate, Mr - Bsswick was held in high estimation in the ! district, and his decisions were characterised by a clearness , of interpretation of the various ncta and statutes, of jrhicb.be had a profound knowledge. l '\ The late gentleman came to the colony on October 18tfa, 1853, in the ship John Taylor, in company with bis elder brother, Mr .W, C. Beswick, Deputy-Official

Assignee, Timaru. In the *ame vessel several'well-known colonists and their -families arrived, amongst whom maybe mentioned the names of John Ollivier and hi* family, Ingram Shrimpton, original proprietor of the Lyttelton Times, Qrosveqor Miles sad family, E. G, Sterickar, W. Purnell, and many others. The deceased was tbe youngest son of the late Samuel Beswick, of Scarborough. Mr Beswick occupied some of the most prominent poeilion* in Canterbury, having been Provincial Treasurer, M.P.C. for Kaiapoi, Registrar of Electors, etc., end . -jn every public position retained the confidence e£ everyone with whom he came in contact. The deceased gentleman and leaves a large grown-up family, and ! numerous relatives and friends to mourn for him.”