JUDGE TO RETIRE

SIR JOHN R. REED APPROACHING AGE LIMIT A DISTINGUISHED CAREER The acting-Chief Justice, Sir John Ranken Reed, will reach the retiring age of 72 years on December 26. The Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, is at present abroad. Sir John was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 1921, when head of the Auckland legal firm of Reed, Towle, Hellaby and Cooper. Born in Ipswich, Queensland, he is the son of the late Rev. G. McC. Reed, and was educated at the Auckland Grammar School, Victoria College, and Jersey and Clare College, Cambridge. He was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1887, and he practised at the Bay of Islands until 1896, when he came to Auckland.

Under the territorial system of defence, he was Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the 3rd Auckland Infantry Regiment, retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1911. In the same year he was appointed Judge Advocate-General for New Zealand. For his services in that capacity he was awarded the C.B.E. in 1919. In 1913 he was appointed a K.C.

Sir John took a keen interest in education, and was a member of the Auckland Education Board for a period. He has been president of the Auckland Law Society, president of the Auckland Club and president of the Auckland Garrison Officers' Club. For seven years he was district grand master for Auckland under the English Constitution of Freemasons.