LATE SIR JOHN DENNISTON.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16583, 24 July 1919, Page 6

LATE SIR JOHN DENNISTON.

TRIBUTES FROM WELLINGTON SUPREME COURT. (special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, July 23. Tributes to tho lato Hon. Sir John Denniston were paid by Judges of tho Supremo Court of New Zealand and members of the Bar this morning. On. tho Bench were the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), Mr Justice Edwards, Mr Justice Chapman, Mr Justice Sim, and Mr Justice Stringer. Tho legal profession, among whom sat the Minister for Justice (the Hon. T. M. Wilford), and the Attornev-Ucneral (tho Hon. Sir I'rancis Bell) was largely represented, whilo tho three Wellington Magistrates —Messrs W. G. Riddell, D. G. A. and E. Page—were also present. Several of the late Judge's contemporaries were obviously muci> affected by the occasion.

Sir I< rancis Bell (Attorney-General) said it seemed only a few days ago that the Bench and bar had met to say farowell to Mr Justice Denniston upon his retirement from his honourabto position. The wish had been expressed that ho would long be spared to enjoy his leisure, but the wish had not been gratified. Standing there to-day were some of his contemporaries during his wholb career at the Bar —men who remembered what a genial person he had always been, his earnest advocacy of his client's cause, and his cheerful way of life. When he had been elevated to tho Bench not even his keenest rivals had failed to admit that his promotion had been most thoroughly earned. Thoso who had known him only as a Judge had always respected his absolute fairness, for throughout his judicial life there had never been and never could have been any question as to his absolute impartiality. Though somotimes apparently impatient of argument, no man was more anxious to arrive at a just and true conclusion, or less willing to give offence. Whatever his years the late Judge had ever been the most youthful member of the bench. Unfortunatly ho had not been spared to enjoy his well-earned leisure, and though he (tho speaker) did not like to think so, the end, he feared, may have been hastened by the arduous and important work ho had undertaken as chairman of the Epidemic Commission. In conclusion, Sir Francis Bell expressed the keenest sympathy with the relatives of the late Sir John Denniston in their loss.

Mr C. P. Skerrett (K.C.), speaking as the representative of the general body of the legal profession in New Zealand, endorsed all that had been said by the Attoriiey-Ueneral in mourning the passing of a high principled gentleman, a good lawyer, and a just Judge. Sir John Denniston, upon his retirement, had had the satisfaction, Mr Skerrott said, of knowing that in the discharge of his arduous duties, ho had earned tho appreciation of his King, his country, and of the profession with which he had been constantly and intimately associated. "He was an upright Judge. This pregnant sentence is his fitting, requiem," said Air Skerrett. "His constant thought, his over present desire in his judicial work was to do justice. That was what actuated his every judicial act. No consideration of rank or station, nationality, or creed, no passing gust of political or racial passion, ever diverted him a hairsbreadth from the administration of what had bccome part of his soul and being—justice without favour or partiality." In conclusion, Mr Skerrett rcfrerred to the lato Judge's kindness of nature, the manner in which he had over tempered justice with mercy, and the fact that he always preserved tho confidence and respect of members of the profession, and in an unncommon degree their affection. On I behalf of the profession Mr Skerrett tendered to Lady Denniston . and the j family of tho late Judge sincere i pathy. • I The Chief Justico had difficulty in overcoming his emotion. "I feel hardly able to speak on this occasion," ho said. "I had known Judge Denniston f&r nearly fifty years, and during all that time we were friends. There were times when we did not agree on many questions, yet our friendship was never disturbed. I can only say that.no man ever struggled to get at the rights of a question more than he did. Many might think that he came rapidly to a conclusion, and that that conclusion remained with him. Those of us who were his fellow-judges know better. He Was not a man who came rapidly to a conclusion at all. I have soon him favour first the plaintiff, then the defendant, then the plaintiff, then the defendant again, and sometimes it took him a week or more to arrive at his final conclusion. Therefore, it was an entirely false impression if any thought that he was a man who came quickly to a decision, and that that decision was final. He was possibly one of tho slowest and most carorul of tho Judges.'' Continuing, the Chief Justice referred to the late Judge's keen literary taste, inherited with many other fine qualities from his father, and then thanked the Bar, on behalf of tho Bench, for having spoken so well of one who had been the colleague of the members of tho latter. Ho hoped that the remembrance of Mr Justice Denniston expressod that morning by the Bir and the Bench would heln to ense tho heavy sense of loss felt by Lady Denniston and her family. The family would have the memory tbnt Sir John Denniston had proved himself a noble man and a noble citizen, who desired to do his best for all with whom he came info contact. The Bench and Bar recognised him as a great ornament to the' profession.

AUCKLAND SUPREME COURT. REFERENCES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGKAIO AUCKLAND, July 23. Thero was a large gathering at tho Supreme Court to-3rfy as a tribute to the lato Sir John Denniston. Mr Justice Hosking said tho deceased had been his intimate and personal friond. Judge Denniston's anxiety to do what was right had often caused him long nericds of mental stress, and the result" of his labours would commend itself to all. Mr McVcagh, president of the Auckland Law Society, said Sir John Donniston had left jv record of which the country might be proud.

A TIMARU APPRECIATION,

(SPECIAL TO "TTT* PRESS ")

TIMARU, July 23. Prior to the commencement of tho

' business at the Magistrate's Court * I hero to-day, Mr James Emslie, as 1 senior member of the Bar present, \ made feeling reference to tho death of Sir John Denniston. News of tho de- , cease of the lato learned and honourod , Judge had been received with very sincere regret, ho said, by every member of the legal profession in Timaru, and i thev desired to express their sympathy '. -with Lady Denniston. Mr Emslio paid a tribute to the lato Judge for his i sound judgment, his impartiality, and his successful endeavour to be quite I fair to everyone who came before him I in his judicial capacity. Ho had prob- . ably hastened his own end by his meti- [ culous care over a long series of years : to ensure that injustice should not be ; done to anv litigant or criminal in his i Court. His judgments wero always ; rospeeted as sound and bevond discus- : sion, and in his death New Zealand had I lost one of the best Judges it had I known. . , , »j Mr V. G. I>ay, S.M., endorsed what

Mr "pmslie had said, adding that ho had known the late Mr Justice Denniston for twonty-nine yoars on the West Coast, in Christchureh, and m Tiraaru —and always as one whom it was a Drivilege to work under. Scrupulously fair to everybody, he had always treated his officers with great consideration. No Judge could have uoon more considerate. Honoured and revered bv all with whom lie had to do. his cTeath would bo "widely mourned