Lawyers Say Goodbye To Mr Justice Adams

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29264, 23 July 1960, Page 12

Lawyers Say Goodbye To Mr Justice Adams

Mr Justice Adams’s last words from the Bench of the Supreme Court of New Zealand were addressed to 150 lawyers yesterday when be urged them, end those who would follow them, to work unceasingly and unfearingly in the cause of justice. The lawyers and some 50 invited guests, including civic dignitaries, were in the Christchurch Supreme Court at a ceremony to mark his Honour’s retirement.

Tributes to his Honour were paid by the president of the New Zealand Law Society (Mr David Perry), the president of the Canterbury District Law Society (Mr W. K. L. Dougall) and Mr J. B. Deaker, representing the Otago District Lew Society. Mr Perry quoted the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain (Lord Kilmuir) on the attributes required of a judge—integrity, patience and courtesy, and the ability to discount his own prejudices He raid his Honour had ably demonstrated all these qualities, and the of this country owed his Honour a great debt

“How many of the public appreciate that you do not enjoy a five-day week, that a judge works five or six days a week, day and night? It is perfectly clear that the paymasters do not realise this. The purchasing worth of a judge’s salary today is about £lOOO less than it was 30

years ago.” Mr Perry said. He conveyed the ■wishes of the whole of the legal profession of New Zealand for a long and happy retirement for his Honour. “Outstanding Ability” Mr Dougall said that his Honour had had a brilliant scholastic I career in Dunedin and Wellington, and had shown outstanding ability as a lawyer and later as Crown Prosecutor in Dunedin before his elevation to the Bench. He mentioned his Honour’s service in the two World Wars, and said the legal profession hoped his Honour would take pleasure in his retirement in looking back on his career and life dedicated to public service. Mr Dougall spoke of the many murder trials his Honour had taken part in as Crown Prosecutor, including those of John Hardie in 1928 and Phyllis Freeman in the late 1940’5. Proof of the murder in both cases was difficult to establish, but his Honour had succeeded in his role of Crown Prosecutor, Mr Dougall said.

"When your Honour was elevated to the Supreme Court Bench it was the second case in the history of New Zealand of father following son as a Judge. Your father,’ the late Mr Justice A. S. Adams, was our well-loved and remembered resident Judge in this city. His portrait hangs on the wall of this Court, and we are looking forward with great pleasure to the day when your own recently-commissioned portrait will also grace this Court.” Mr Dougall said the legal profession proclaimed its admiration of his Honour as a lawyer. His reported judgments would be authorities to be read always with respect and admiration by lawyers and judges, both in New Zealand and overseas. Few judges in New Zealand in recent times had been quoted with approval in overseas publications and tribunals to the same extent as his Honour.

Set Precedent

His Honour’s judgment had been upheld by the Privy Council and the English Court of Appeal, said Mr Dougall. citing, among others, the Horry murder trial, in which his Honour directed the jury it was entitled to bring in a verdict of guilty even though no body was found and there was no confession of guilt by Horry—thus establishing a precedent since upheld in the Commonwealth.

His Honour, particularly during the last three or four years, had had excessive demands made on him, and it was only recently the Executive Council had seen fit to appoint two resident judges to Christchurch. Mr Dougall said. On many occasions, in addition to the strain of an ever-increasing number of cases waiting hearing, his Honour had been called on to conduct witness actions under almost impossible conditions in the grand jury room. “I have heard it said, quite seriously, by a senior Christchurch barrister, that if the administration of justice required it, your Honour would be prepared to sit in a tree. (Laughter). Counsel went on to say that even in those neculiar circunfctances your Honour’s Court would still be conducted with decorum,” Mr Dougall said. He read messages from the law societies of Westland and Auckland joining the Canterbury so-

ciety in wishing his Honour a happy retirement.

Mr Deaker said it was ept that the Otago District Law Society should have the last word, as his Honour had been bom in Dunedin He recalled the Hulme, Parker murder trial over which his Honour had presided. “And more recently your Honour heard an action which broke many records and resulted in the complete extinction of the ‘mower’," Mr Deaker said amid laughter. His Honour Replies

His Honour, in reply, named all the guests, the presence of whom, he said, gave him such pleasure. He said it was in 1873 that the first member of his family donned wig and gown. The name of Adams would disappear now from law practitioners, but it gave him satisfaction that some of his descendants, under other names, might be expected to enter the profession. “The law is a hard mistress: she has worked me hard at the Bar and on the Bench, but I have no regrets on that score.” his Honour said. “It seems but yesterday that I opened my first law text book, but the calendar and mathematics say it was 53 years ago." His Honour paid a tribute to his father and said that if he had achieved anything it was because of the patient help he had received from his father.

“It is with regret I reach the end of the road. The doors of the law close upon me, but I hope new interests may arise to fill the void.”

His Honour said he enjoyed good health, and it was a shock to realise that no fewer than six of his brother judges had died before the age of retirement. “The time has come when perforce I must withdraw my hand from the torch, but the torch remains alight and it is to be carried on not only by the judges who may succeed me here but also by your hands." his Honour told the lawyers after saying that, contrary to what a great majority of the public thought, judges and lawyers co-operated in the task of seeing that justice was done. More Than 200 Attend More than 200 persons attended the ceremony and about 150 lawyers from Canterbury, the West Coast, Wellington, and Otago occupied the body of the Court. His Honour’s personal guests occupied seats in and near the grand jury box, and other guests were seated in and near the jury box. Guests of honour included the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr G. Manning), the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren), the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Kennedy, vicar-general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch (in the absence overseas of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt. Rev. E. M. Joyce >, the president of the Baptist Union in Christchurch (the Rev. A. L. Silcock), Mr A. P. Blair, S.M., Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., Mr J. W. Kealy, S.M., of Auckland, and Mr Rex C. Abernethy, a former stipendiary magistrate. Superintendent E. J. C. Hay, of the Christchurch police, Mr J. G. Denniston, son of the late Sir John Denniston, a former judge in Christchurch for many years, Mrs Denniston, daughter of the late Sir Francis Bell, a former Attorney-General, Mrs Alpers, widow of Mr Justice Alpers, Miss Nancy Northcroft, daughter of the late Mr Justice Northcroft, Mr E. G. Buckley, superintendent ot the Paparua Prison, Mr D. S. Aitken, chief probation officer in Christchurch, Mr J. L. W. Gerken. Registrar of Christchurch Supreme Court, Mr P. D. Clancy, DeputyRegistrar, Mr J. A. Tait, Registrar of the Greymouth Sjipreme Court, Mr G. E. Pollock, former Registrar at Christchurch. Mrs W. K. L. Dougall and Mrs A. Dougall, Mr H. S. Adams, brother of his Honour and Crown Prosecutor at Dunedin, his Honour’s four married daughters and some of his grandchildren, and Mr P. T. Mahon, Crown Prosecutor at Christchurch.

His Honour moved to the body of the Court and met all those present personally.

His Honour, traditionally, sat alone on the Bench at the ceremony. He was joined on the floor of the Court by Mr Justice Macarthur. Mr Justice Richmond was unavoidably required to visit Auckland.

After the formal function, Mr Justice Adams and his personal guests were entertained to afternoon tea in the grand jury room by courtesy of his fellow judges, Mr Justice Macarthur and Mr Justice Richmond.