ADDRESS TO S.L. MULLER, ESQ., R.M.

As previously intimated would be the case.there was a strong muster of the bar and the local magistracy; on Monday last at the Residents Magistrat.eSgjCourt in order to present an addreia to Dr Muller on the occasion of his retirement from the bench. The members of the Bar present were Messrs Conolly, Church, Rogers, and Sinclair ; and the magistrates who attended on the occasion were Messrs. Kenney,> Goulter, ' Douslin, Hodson, Henderson, Ohaytor, Johnson, and Mackintosh. Among the other gentlemen present were Messrs Dalfcon, Sinclair, Robinson, Paisley, Macklin, Winstanley, theßev. W. Sheriff, A.M., &c, &c. Mr Conolly said — Before the Court rose he would, with permission of the Court, and at the request of the Bar practising here, make a few observations. They had heard with regret that this was the last occasion on which Dr Muller would act as R.M., an office which he had held for many years, with two short intervals, to the satisfaction of all. On this account, although the occasion was a painful one, it was a pleasing task that devolved upon him (Mr Conolly), not as one who, of late, had practised so fre« . quently in the Court as others who stood near him, but on account of the greater number of years he had been here, and his seniority at the Bar. He felt sure he spoke the views of all his friends of the profession when he said he looked upon Dr Muller's resignation with regret. The manner in which Dr Muller had discharged the important duties of his office — although mistakes occasionally might have been made, as they were in all courts — was such that the Profession could never hope to have them performed more efficiently or satisfactorily to their clients and themselves by any successor. As to the reasons which had led to Dr Muller's retirement, he did not intend to say much, as by so doing he might be trenching on politics, but if the change had anything to do with: any scheme for a new arrangement as to the discharge of judicial duties by an amalgamation of offices, he could only hope that it would prove as successful as those;*; who initiated it could desire. They had seen* .: the relegation of the administration of justice placed in the hands of young men, and young men were apt to think that alteration necessarily _-_* meant improvement, but men of longer experience, whose hair had" grown grey, thought; that it was often wise to "let well alone." All felt, however, that if Dr Muller's resignation was called for (as he .understood it was) that it should take place whilst he was in the full vigor of his intellect. It would be impertinent for him (Mr Conolly) to say that Dr Muller had discharged the important duties of his office with discretion, honesty, and justice, because there was, no suggestion to the contrary, nor any intimation of incapacity, but however discreet, honest, and just a presiding magistrate might be, there were other qualities which it! ,was of daily and hourly importance to display. Dr Muller bad always treated the members of the Bar practicing in this Court with courtesy and kindness. There had been very few appeals : from his decisions, which had given general satisfaction, and would compare favorably with the decisions given by many who had had a legal i ■, training. He (Mr Conolly) -had always felt a , pleasure in appearing in this Court where no ■ uuseemly contests ever occurred between the Bench and the Bar, as they hod seen sometimes in a higher Court. He again Repeated that the profession viewed Dr Muller'a retirement with!* sincere regret, but they trustei". that he would~' t: ■_live long in honorable retirement and that outside' r the Court, in private life, thenmtual friendship" "' j esteenj they entertained would rdinain. (Cheers). DrvMuLLEiv in reply, saidAhe stood befor ' ■-■ ,■..-'■■■■■■'■ '1 : .■-...-

them to-day in a somewhat painful position, or rather with painful feeling" which, however, were very much assuaged by the kind and courteous manner in which they took leave of him on his retiring from official life. He had leen requested to retire, no cause had been assigned, and all he knew about it was that it was wished by the Government to make an amalgamation of officers, and they had ordered him to retire. In taking leave of the Bar, he did so -with regret. He had always received at their hands the greatest kindness and assistance, which had made the discharge of unpleasant duties a pleasure. He had not seen, but he had read of, very painful scenes taking place between the Bench and the Bar elsewhere, bub although Blenheim was a small place, and somewhat looked dowu upon by people at a distance, no such scenes occurred in this Court, and the members of the legal profession who practiced here were gentlemen, and always treated the Comi with courtesy. The decisions he had given were doubtless wrong sometimes, but they were not cavilled at. Mr Conolly was one of his oldeEt friends, and he had always felt that when Mr Conolly was addressing him he was not speaking as a mere pleader. The advice and assistance he had received from him had always been a great balm and comfort to him. He told the young men practising at the Bar here that they had a great advantage in having the example of; Mr Conolly before them. They saw what his behaviour was in Court, and he was a man who had a European reputation, and was a light of the Colony. In the way in which he practised they saw how English barristers conducted themselves, and the high tone of the English Bar was excelled in no part of the world. He recommended them to look to Mr Connolly, for they could not do better than follow his example. He tru;ted they would all go on prosperously, and that he should carry their friendship with him into private iife. Blenheim was a very different place now to what it was when he first came here, and at that time he should never have expected to live to see in it such a building as this Court house. In the early days of the settlement it was a sort of pandemonium filled wifh all sorts of bad characters, who, instead of endeavouring to assist in the preservation of law and order, did just the reverse, set their faces against the authorities, pnlled down the lock-up, and behaved altogether in a very disorderly way, but the place increased in size, and the good feeling of the better class of settlers, combined with the assistance of the police gradually prevailed, and the owls fled from the light. At the present time there was not a more orderly community to be found in the Colony than in Blenheim. He wished he could have remained in office a little longer, as he felt he was not mentally or physically incompetent for the discharge of his duties. If he had sometimes given his decisions wrongly, as he felt he must have done, he had always decided as he felt to be right, according to his conscience, and without fear, favor,, or affection, and it was satisfactory for him to find from what has been told to-day that he had not remained too long so as to weary them out, and that it was not said of him " superfluous lags the veteran on the stage." He wished them all health, happiness, and prosperity, and said he thanked them from the bottom of his heart for their kindness. There was a considerable amount of clapping of hands and stamping of feet as Dv Muller sat down. Mr Conolly, who held a telegram in his hand, said he had received it from a gentleman practising in the Court (Mr McNab) who intended to have been present, but was unavoidably prevented from being there by floods at the Kaituna. He suggested that his name should be inclnd tid. Dr Muller said he felt much obliged to Mr McNab for not forgetting him on this occasion, and he should take it as if Mr McNab were present, and include his name with those of the members of the Bar who had addressed him to-day.