SUPREME COURT BENCH HONOURED.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18095, 10 June 1924, Page 6

SUPREME COURT BENCH HONOURED.

FIVE KNIGHTHOODS IN SIX YEARS. (special to "the fr*ss,"J DUNEDIN, June 9. In thanking the legal profession for its congratulations to him on his knighthood, Sir William Sim said: "Tho Chief Justice is usually knighted upon his appointment, but other judges, excepting in rare cases, are not knighted in New Zealand. In. recent years the Bench appears to have fared very well in the matter of honours. When, in 1870, the then Attor-ney-General (Mr James Prendcrgost) was appointed Chief Justice he was knighted. After that no honour was conferred on any judge until 1911, when Mr Justice Williams, to the great dolight of the whole Dominion, was created a knight after thirty-six years service on tho Bench. I In recent years the Bencii has fared much bettor, for during tme last six vears no fewer than five Air.ighthoods nave been conferred upon jiidgos, and, in addition, the Chief JusticiL was made a Privy Councillor. He wa« appointed Chief Justice in 1839. fte had a "Ii.C.M.G. but he acquiredjthat title as a politician and not asif judge, so that an reckoning the quest®»n or honours it will be found that® no judge was knighted from 1875 till ffc 911. "The Bench lias been treated much "better in recent years, and JRo Government has been very g e^. ei ®us in tho matter of rocommendataom, to tho King in this respect. ~ 6 w Zealand judges have certainly o ?. n 'St off i much better than Australia®# judges.