THE NEW JUDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 193, 15 August 1889, Page 4

THE NEW JUDGE.

The Government havo not lost much tim« in tilling up the vacancy in the Supreme Court Bench caused by the death of Mr Justice Gillies. The pressure of business necessitated some appointment, and it is manifest that Judge Ward, who has hitherto tilled temporary gaps, could not be called upon by the present Government on this occasion. The Cabinet, therefore, have detinitely decided to elevate Mr Edward Tonnyson Conolly, of Blenheim, to the Bench. This resultis not unexpected. Even the secrets of the Cabinet Council leak out, and it is not unknown that when Mr Denniston was appointed he divided the votes of Ministers equally with Mr Conolly, and was choaen on the casting vote of the Premier. Another vacancy having occurred so soon afterwards, Mr Conolly'a appointment followed almost ac a matter of coarse. Mr Connolly ha 3 always borne a high reputation as a citizen and a sound lawyer, and he held the portfolio of AttorneyGeneral in the last Atkinson Administration, which would have given him the first choice of ajudgeship ifavacunyhad occurred during his own term of office. The chief objection to his elevation to the Bench now seems to be that he is nearly sixty-seven yeans of age. The following biography of the new Judge is published in "Men of Mark of New Zealand :"■— "Edward Tennyson Conolly, only son of Dr. John Conolly, was born August Slst, 1822. His father, Dr. Conoily, was eminent for his wcrka on insanity, and for the reforms he introduced in the treatment of the insane. Mr Conolly was called to the Bar by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple on the 30th January, 1852, and practised for 13 years in England us a member pf the Hunt Circuit. He came to Now Zealand in 1865, was admitted a3 a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in October of that year, and lias since that time resided aud practised at, Picton. He represented the town of Picton in the Provincial Council of Marlborough from January, 1867, until the abolition of the provinces in 1876. At the general election in December, 1881, ho was elected a member of the House of Representatives for the electoral district of Picton, and was re-elected in July, 1884. In October, 1882, under the W.hitaker - Ministry he 'received the portfolio of Minister of Justice; and on the retirement of Mr Whitaker and the reconstruction of the Ministry under Major Atkinson in September, 1883, Mr Conolly retained that office and also became Attorney-General, holding both appointments until the resignation of the Atkhuon Ministry in August, 1884." .