JUDGE GILLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 180, 31 July 1889, Page 2

JUDGE GILLIES.

REMARKS BY MR HESKETH.

At the half-yearly meeting of the Auckland Law Society held yesterday afternoon, Mr E. Hesketh, Vice-President, who occupied the chair, made the following remarks ;— «• Before entering upsn our usual duties, I as Chairman, and in the absence of the President, as your Vice-President, canno* abstain from making reference to an event by which many of as have been deprived of a sincere friend, and our Supreme Court of one of its most able judges. The late Mr Justice Gillies died on Friday morning at the , age of 64 years. I little thought when nearly two years ago it fell to my lot, as the mouthpiece of the Bar, to welcome the return of the late Judge to the Bench, that in so short a time we should be called on to bow our heads and grieve over his sudden and unexpected decease. On that occasion, while addressing to him our words of welcome, appearances justified the thought in the minds of all then present that a longer Bpan of life would be hia. Such were my thoughts when addressing him in Court on Thursday last, and when we separated, to meet again on the next day, littledid 1 think that meeting would never take place. Providence had, however, ordered otherwise, and we have been taught that in this, as in many other instances, there is wisdom, and with contented minds therefore let us accept our loss. In presuming to refer to the late Judge, I am glad to know that there are those present who will support what I am about to say. For a period of. 24 years I had the privilege of being intimately acquainted with him, and during that period I have met him in all capacities connected with the practice and administration of the law." He was otten my opponent, he was often my leader, and I have actively practis&d in his Court from the occasion of hie elevation to the Bench in 1874. When at the Bar together, I was Oftentimes amazed, I might say, at his eingular display of tact, and application to his profession; and his abilities being of a very high order, a large measure of success followed, and secured for him an extensive practice, followed by his elevation to the Bench. Gifted as he was with a robust constitution, a vigorous and practical intellect, great powers of foresight, and an extensive store of varied experience and knowledge of human nature, he was possessed of many of those qualities which pelong to a.strong English judge. I, like many who are within hearing, have had much experience in his Court, and, if we have not always met with success, let us remember what I have read somewhere, ■what is well known, that in every action one party alone can win, and as both generally expect to succeed one 13 certain to be disappointed, and it would be impossible lor the most perfect judge to please everyone. When we consider the embarrassing positions in which a judge is frequently placed, and how often he is called upon to decide upon amass of conflictingtestimony, none bub those whose duties require them to do so can know the difficulties of bo deciding. I feel sure that all who are present, and who have meb with some measure of this disappointment—and which of us has not done so ?—will join with me in allowing that a powerful and far-seeing intellect- enabled the late Judge to grasp the facts, and generally arrive at an accurate conclusion. In addition to all this he was possessed of many other good qualities. He was,as we all know, generous, and unostentatiously charitable, and recipients of many characters will, I feel sure, deplore his loss. I would conclude by moving the following resolution :—' That the members of this Society desire to' express to the relatives of the late Mr Justice Gillies their deep feelings of regreb on hearing of the sudden decease of the late Judge, and their sincere sympathy and condolence in this season of affliction. , " ♦Mr W. J. Hill, the senior member of the profession present, seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.