A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7382, 7 August 1889, Page 2

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

[FROM OTTB CO_ETiB_ , OHD»NT.] AUCKLAND,- July 26. The late Mr Justice Gillies was born __ Eothesay, Bute, in the year IS-S, and so; was 64 years of age at the time of —i» death. His education was completed at Rothesay, and deciding to enter the leg# profession, he served his articles in the office of his father, Mr John Gillies, solicitor. Leaving law for a time for mercantile pursuits, he entered the establishment of a merchant in Manchester as a clerk, and remained there for several years. In 1854, when 29 yeara old, Mr Gillies, attracted by the glowing reports of the colonisation in the newly-settied colony of New Zealand, left Manchester, and took his departure from Scotland with his wife (n6e Miss Douglass) and young family, for the Southern Heinisphei** where he had decided to cast his future lot. Landing at Dunedin he made Ms way up country, and remained for sow years as a settler in Wflrepa, Otago. _f«f a few years in the agricultural and rursi line he returned to Dunedin. and there resumed the study and practice of his profession as a solicitor and barrister. *i» associate in legal business was a man who has also made his mark OB the New Zealand Bench,;Mr BichmonA now Mr Justice " Richmond, xt »?J*°* In the course' of the « fifties/ Mr Gilße* entered the political arena as a the old Otago Pftwinoial Conned, and» year or two later was returned toJM House of Represenltiives for the \&aW* of Wallace. A caustto debater, with cleat incisive intellect, he made a r _* o S n "!2 leading pompon for himself, radrapuw won distinction in the House, as he b*4 previously done at the When the Pox Ministry wete o*ete«« Mr Domett in 1862, Mr Gilhes pmed ths new Cabinet with the portfolio General, but after holding °fo»*°* »JgJ night he considered ti&*w*bletor&X in favor of the Hon. Mr SewelL ****. R. Q. Wood and Thomas Bug* were members of thejfcnistry. »«J year, on the reconstruction J* *» Cattnet, Mr Gillies becam •*£»*+ General and Secretary of *$£*?£ the existence of a year S defeated by Mr Weld. Next_ye«,» ?_is? Mr Gillies Dunedin to the more Auckland, and P*-^ d __"£ ££*£. success, for faia P? w | rf ? ln^t S_S telligent treatment of aU in dispute soon became ™&m£%2 it had been elsewhere. dance the deceased f*%%* gj those acquaintances and f or?** ««T friendahips which are > "*"%&s& - f^^ttwJ^^S*^ ment were of a high order* J^SRS elections in 1869 to^&gfiSS* House of &V™" n^J&2^£i»c*s* J^S_S_£-S--* was oneof the most powerful •_?»• *"

overthrow of that Government when it treat out of office, for only a month as it afterwards proved. In 1872 Mr Gillies jook the portfolio of Colonial Treasurer in the short-lived Stafford Administration, and filled that office from September 10th till tbe 4th October, when the former Ministry again came into power. When his term of office had expired, JJr Gillies did not seek re-election as Superintendent, and in 1875 he left the iphere of politics in which he had played % prominent part in the stirring days of those times for many yeais for the bench cf the colony. He was appointed in February of that year as the successor of Sir George A. Arney to the Northern Circuit of the Supreme Court, taking temporarily the Nelson district. From that time up till the date of his death, for over fourteen years, Mr Justice Gillies bore his arduous and responsible duties as administrator of criminal and civil law in a manner which won admiration and respect from those even against whom his adverse decisions were pronounced. "An upright Judge," like Mr Gillies, is a boon to the State, and his place will be hard to fill. United to his ability in deciding upon questions of popular dispute, he displayed a very keen insight into commercial and technical cases, derived, no doubt, by his early sound commercial training,

In the Supreme Court, Christchurch on on Monday morning before the business commenced, his Honor Mr Justice Den. niston paid a tribute to the memory of the late Mr Justice Gillies.

His Honor said :—Before commencing the business of the day I desire to express the deep regret I, in common with all engaged in the administration of justice, mnst feel at the loas which the Supreme Court and the colony generally has sustained by the lamented death of hie Honor Mr Justice Gillies. It is not for mc here to enlarge upon the Tery great services rendered in connection with the administration of the law, and to the colony as a whole. This is not necessary for mc to do. The high position the late Mr Justice Gi lies early took and continuously filled, both as a Judge and as a public man, is the best evidence of his high qualities, and is sufficient to prove the great loss the colony has sustained through his death. For over fourteen years the late Judge has brought : to the judicial bench not only the intellect of the practised lawyer, but the mature experience of the statesman and man of business. Since that date the judicial records of the colony furnish evidence of his industry and ability. In the midst of the unremitting discharge of his judicial duties he found time for scientific research, and for an active and liberal interest in social and educational matters. His death at an age and under circumstances when it might not unreasonably have been hoped that he had still before him many years of public usefulness, will leave a vacancy which, either as a Judge or citizen, it will not be easy to fill. Mr Stringer—l very much regret your Honor that no elder member of the bar titan myself is present on this occasion, or some one who knew the late Mr Justice Gillies better than I do, to speak on behalf of the Bar. In that case the gentleman, •whoever it might be, would be far more competent and prepared to speak as to the many hiph qualities of the late Judge. But your Honor, I may say that the deep feelings of regret which your Honor has expressed at the lamented death of Mr Justice Gillies, are shared by the whole Bar Lα Canterbury. [PBXSS ASSOCIATION TELEORAM.] DUNEDIN, July 29. The Supreme Court did not sit this afterBoon out of respect to the late Mr Justice Gillies. AUCKLAND, Julr 2G. The funeral of the late Mr Justice Gillies took place to-day, and was attended by all members of the legal profession. Court officials, and many representative citizens. It was estimated that the cortege was about a mile in length. The remains of ' the deceased were interred in St. Andrew's Cemetery, Epsom, the burial service being wad by the Rev. Mr Warshall.