KING'S COUNSEL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8459, 8 June 1907, Page 5

KING'S COUNSEL.

NEW ZEALAND APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED. Under the .regulations gazetted on January 24th last provision was made for the appointment of King's Counsel, and applications for the distinction have been received from barristers practising in various parts of the colony. The Attorney-Gen-eral, after having satisfied himself that all who desired to apply had applied, forwarded the names of all the applicants to the Chief Justice, since the regulations provide that the appointments could only be mide by the Governor-in-Council with the approval of the Chief of Judiciary. His Honour having approved of and nominated for appointment the following gentlemen, they will receive their letters patent of appointment, signed by his Excellency the Governor, on taking the usual oath of office:— WELLINGTON. Mr H. D. Bell. Mr Martin Chapman. Mr C. P. Skerrett. ' Hon. J. G. Findlay, LL.D., Attorn ey-General. AUCKLAND. Hon. J. A. Tole, 8.A., LL.B. Mr F. E. Baume, LL.B. CHRISTCHURCH. Mr T. I. Joynt. Mr T. W. Stringer. DUNEDIN. Mr J. H. Hosking. Mr S. Solomon, B.A. REASONS AND METHOD OF SELECTION.

The following are the reasons given in his letter to the Government accompanying the nominations by the Chief Justice for the selection he has made. "Referring to the appointment of King's Counsel, I have carefully considered the course that has been followed in the various Australian colonies or States, 'N'6 doubt New Zealand is somewhat differently situated, in that there is no town in which the Judges all reside. This means, therefore, the creation of what may be termed local Bars, "I have come to the conclusion that if the honour is to be appreciated it must not be more extensively distributed than in the Australian States, and that ten is the full number of counsel that should be appointed. This is a larger number than our population would warrant but for the fact of there being local Bars. "In mentioning the names that I think should receive the honour, I have first to keep in view the fact that there are local Bars, and I think that the ten should be distributed as follows : "Four in the city of Wellington, where two judges reside, and which is the centre of several judicial districts, namely, Nelson and Wellington; including in Wellington, Napier, Hawk'e'ff Baty' and Palmerston North. It is also the 0 sty of the Court of Appeal, which site at Wellington three times a year. J think under these circumstances thate should be four counsel appointed for Wellington. "As Wellington district takes in part of the South Island, I think that four should be appointed for the remaining part of the South Island, two for Christchurch and two for Dunedin, and that two should be allocated for Auckland. "If I were to nominata barristers from towns where no Judge resides, it would matse the list too large, for one could not differentiate between Napier and New "Plymouth, Invercargill, Nelson, Oamaru, Timaru, etc. The leading members of the Bar no doubt reside in the chief towns, but there are other members of the Bar who, if they were residing in the chief towns, would be eligible for the appointment. "The next matter that weighs with me in making a selection is seniority and continued service at the Bar. The other matters that I have considered are that if two candidates are equal in practice at the Bar, and very near each other in seniority, then I think that if a barrister holds a degree of a University, that ought to weigh in his favour. Acting on these considerations, I beg to nominate." (Here follow the above nominations.)