MR JUSTICE HERDMAN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16152, 5 March 1918, Page 6

MR JUSTICE HERDMAN.

$ WELCOMED BY THE BAR. A larpa attendance of the local Bar* welcomed his Honour Mr Justice Herdman at the Supreme Court vester- | day mor-rnir. Mr T. A. B. Bailey, j*S.M.. \\a> present amongst tho general ; public. and an aprdogy w as made for ! tho absence of Mr 11. AV. Bishop, S.M. | Mr M. Donnelly, president of the j Canterbury Law Society, prefaced his I remarks of welcome by trusting that his j Honour might allow him. o n behalf of i the Bar as a whole, to express their ; great sympathy with his Honour in respect of the bereavement ho had recently s-utTorod. Continuing. Mr Donnelly that as president of the Law Society k was his Uuty to address a few words of welcome on the occasion of his Honour assuming the exalted position of judge of tho Supreme Court in tho Canterbury district. Justice was the* main concern of anv British court of i justice, and they felt that his Honour came to the Bench with a dosiro to do the fullest and tho amplest justice to every matter submitted to his consideration. Ho assured his Honour that tho members of the Bar would do all possible to make his Honour's duty as little irksomo and as easy as possible and trusted that always tho very best feeling would prevail between his* Honour and tho members of the Bar. They were not, either individually or. collectively. an aggressive Bar. and would do their best to make things as harmonious as possible. His Honour camo to the Bench a comparatively young man and in tho ordinary courso of nature, • under Providence, _ his Honour should have a long judicial cavcer ahead of him. and they trusted that his career would be one of great success, and bonoficial to the Canterbury Bar and to tho public. Mr Donnelly referred to tho largeness of the Canterbury judicial district, and, in concluding, expressed the hope that in the future they night see as much of his Honour as the exigencies of the public service would permit. Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., vice-presi-dent, said that Mr Donnellv had been good enough to ask him to* add to his remarks 9f welcome, and he very gladlv availed himself of the opportunity. His Honour had come to tho Bonch at the zenith of bis powers, and they all looked forward to him continuing on tho F Bench for n long time, and to having a - successful judicial career. His Honour a had also come to tho Bench after holding tho highest law office of tho Crown in the Dominion, and they all recogr niswl that having held that position—a r position that did not confer a right to E a so at. on the Bench, as was sometimes said—they regarded it as one of great qualm: at ion and of inestimable value in a cultivating the qualities necessary for i a judicial career. When ho (tho speakf or), looked around he saw many praca tising members of the profession assembled to heartily welcome his Son's our, but the younger members of the " ar 1 were absent, and were ent gaged , _ many of them, in servioe o of a different nature on the ields of Franco and Palestine. His Honour, n P ri ° r to accepting his prosent position, d ' ,ac * shown so much devotion, and devoted so much time and thought to the J welfare of the Dominion's soldiers that n bo felt sure, in adding to Mr Donnelly's t remarks, that he could extend a welcom© to his Honour on behalf of those 0 soldier-lawyers to whom his Honour had ._ given 60 much consideration. Ho cordi- £ ally agreed with the expressions of wel- [ como and of goodwill, made by Mr Donnelly, and wished his Honour many years of success and of benefit to liti« s gants and to the public. 0 HIS HONOUR'S ACKNOWLEDG--1 MEN?. His Honour said: Mr Donnelly, Mr l Raymond, and gentlemen of the Bar: I I desire to express my sincere gratitude s to you for your kindly welcome this morning. Before I camo to Christf church I realised that I could bo cerI tain of the kindly co-operation of the a legal profession, and I look forward now II with certainty to a happy and prospern ous and, I hope, a profitable life in a i' city of very great attractions. To bo iO suddenly translated from the violence and tumult of political activity to the e tranquil atmospliero of this institution is a great change in one's life —a change e to which I have not yet become accustomed I rogret, for many reasons, & that it has been necessary for mo to sever my connexion with public, life— q with its constant change of experiences, its high responsibilities, and the enjoy- |_ rnent one gets from tho excitement which controversy engenders. _ I shell always remember with satisfactiqn that n it was my privilege to bo ono of the , King's Ministers during somo of tho o most eventful years of this country s a history. lam well aware that, for the 0 good of tho community, tho position of judge is one to which only those who can command tho confidence and respect of tho public should bo appointed. I remember that the judges of England and New Zealand have invariably performed their high duties with groat P distinction and great credit, and I am not unmindful of tho circumstance that I have beon appointed to succced one 1 who, through many arduous years, has B maintained the respect of the public and of tho legal profession. I shall no statement, I shall make no asserfran, I shall not attempt to onter the region of prophecy, but will content myself with expressing the hope that, with tho loyil co-operation of tho members of tho Christchurch Bar, I shall bo able, in my time, to do somo work which, may bo of value to a country ior which I have learned to havo a great a flection, and' to a people to whom I havo leanted in some years of public sorvico. to be deeply attached. I 1 thank you for attending, and I assure - you that I am deoply sensible of the - honour vou havo done me. Especially 1 I thank *Mr Donnelly for his kindly and fvmpathotic reference to the event which lias recently taken place m my f own household. Your preeonco here this 0 morning leads mo to believe that I can J look forward .with confidence to tho y efficient administration 6f justice in. tnis g district in the future, and I ani sure that our relations will be mutually happy.