POPULAR S.M.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19481, 30 November 1928, Page 6

POPULAR S.M.

MR W. G. RIDDELL RETIRES. ITHE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 29. V After long service on tho. Bench in : Wellington - and in other parts of tho Dominion, Mr W. G. Riddell,, fe.M-> principal Magistrate in Wellington and second .senior, Magistrate in /New Zealand, is retiring from office at the end of December. Teacher, instrumentalist, good sportsman, barrister and solicitor, and Magistrate, Mr Riddell has had an interesting and notable career.' ' , Otago is Mr Riddell'b birthplace and ho received his education at the Sandy Mount School, the Dunedin Normal Training 'College, and at' • the'Otago University,- .where.' he gained his B.A. degree in 1889 and his -M.A.-degree, with-Honours- in Political Science the ' following -.year.-- In 1398-Mr w^s<-admitted as a barrister , sipd : solicitor ajid Ho" in ' jurispruclcnce for a 'period .at the'Otago University.;; After, receiving his legal training- • in' Messrs ;Duncan and Jfaegiegor's officein Duriediri;! he was appointed relieving, »S.M. 'for'' New Zcalarid.' -and _ sat -in varioiis iparts of the "countryjneludiiig GhristChiircli, and Dnhedin. In June, 1907, Mr. Rid-; dell was'trauaferred tor Wellington. AV that.-time Dr. Mc'Artbur, was. principal .Magistrate." In-October; 1913. .I>r|. M,cArthur died, aiid. . on January Ist; 1914, t Mr Riddell was appointed prijir cipal'Magistrate, which position he lias held ever since. .... Throughout his term of office here Mr Riddell has been chairman of the Wellington and Hutt - Licensing Coin-; mittees, and is also chairman : of the Tramways Appeal Board. He has. sat on various Commissions of Enquiry, including a ; Commission in connexion with the Defence Department some years ago, another .in Christchureh concerning the. Working Mien's Club, also the enquiry into the railway aster at Ongarue in Mr Riddellhas also ' many notable nautical enquiries, -J" among them being the • enquiries into, the loss of the Ripple in; IS2-1. the wreck of the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro, oil a pin-: nacle off Bull Rock, on the East Coast; in 1916, and the. wreck ,of the C;. and j). liner, Port Elliot, near East Cape, early in 1924. • •,, „ ■ In his younger days Mr Riddell was a member of the 'Oamarn No; I Rifles and a band there- and also played in the Dunedin Garrison Band. In 1891 lie took part in the band contest held, in Dunedin. He was also a member of the Dunedin Liedertafel Mr Riddeil has alwavs b.een a. keen • sporting enthusiast. -He has taken part, in amateur athletic events, .gaining, success over various distances.' Nor has.the football and cricket field been neglected bv him. He was. and still 'is. fond of both forms of snort. " Mr'Riddell has also ridden on the cycle track, and was handicapper for the Otago Cycling Club and the Dunedin Caledonian Societv. » About 1895, when "-in Oar maru,-Mr Riddell was a memberiof the Oamaru Rifle Club.and he has been •down the mounds alongside many-ef the Dominion's best shots,; includinn: Messrs W. S. King;, .McGregor, and Rule. Many noted men in the legal world have practised before Mr Riddeil—all the present Judges of the Supreme Court, some of the present Magistrates, and many prominent barristcfSf Latterly Mr Riddell has not been feeling in the best of health and at present it is his intention to leave towards the end of next month for Australia, where he hones to see the third cricket Test match between tho Australian and English elevens at Melbourne. - :