NEW JUDGE

MR. H. H. CORNISH, K.C.

DISTINGUISHED RECORD

The Solicitor-General, Mr. Henry Havelock Cornish, K.C., has been made a Judge of the Supreme Court. The announcement was made last night by the Attorney-General (Mr. Mason) that his Excellency the Governor-General had been pleased to appoint Mr. Cornish to the Supreme Court Bench.

The new Judge, who is well known in Wellington, has been SolicitorGeneral since 1934, having received the appointment in succession to Mr. Justice Fair on his elevation to the Supreme Court Bench. He has had a distinguished career at the Bar and academically. When he. was appointed Solicitor-General he was not only practising his profession in Wellington, but was also Professor of English and New Zealand Law at Victoria University College.

Mr. Justice Cornish was born at Kaitangata in 1887. He was educated at Otago Boys' High School and at Otago University College, at each of which institutions he was the holder of various scholarships. He was the first student in New Zealand to gain his M.A. degree with double first-class honours in English, Latin, and Philosophy. He was an Otago nominee for a Rhodes Scholarship. For a time he was a teacher on the staff of the Gisborne High School. Later he came to Wellington to study law at Victoria University College. While studying in Wellington he founded, in conjunction with Mr. H. Amos, Wellesley College, of which he was the first headmaster, and conducted night classes in various subjects at. Banks College, his pupils gaining many successes. He commenced practice about 1918 as a barrister and solicitor, and later became a member of the firm of Webb, Richmond, and Cornish. In 1930 he succeeded Professor Garrow as Professor of English and New Zealand Law at Victoria University College, retaining his right to practise as a bar? rister. He appeared as counsel in many important cases. At Victoria College he enjoyed considerable popularity as a professor, being president of both the football and cricket clubs. He was a member for several years of the council of the Wellington District Law Society, of which he was president in 1926, and he has also been a member of the council of the New Zealand Law Society, the Council of Law Reporting, and the Rules Committee. In addition to the degree of Master of Arts, Mr. Justice Cornish holds the degree of LL.M. He was made a K.C. in 1934.

He married Miss Florence Dixon in 1917. Mrs. Cornish is well known in the League of Mothers. Mr. and Mrs. Cornish have four children, their oldest son being overseas with the 2nd N.Z.E.F.