Canterbury appoints new professor of law

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 6

Canterbury appoints new professor of law

A reader in law, Dr G. F. Orchard, has been appointed to a chair in law at the University of Canterbury. His appointment was confirmed at a meeting of the University of Canterbury Council yesterday, and he will -take the chair next February. Dr Orchard specialises in the content and development of New Zealand law, especially criminal law, and some of his published articles have been cited in overseas texts. He is now Working on a student text on New Zealand criminal law.

Last year Dr Orchard, aged 36, was appointed a member of the Criminal Law Reform Committee, and helped draft the committee's report on aspects of the law of rape.

The committee is. now investigating the law of bail, which has involved him in research into .the history of bail and the various principles governing the subject.

This year he was appointed the sole academic member of the Government committee for the review of penal policy,- chaired by Mr Justice' Casey, which is mak-

ing the first official review of criminal penalties. After graduating LI.M. with first-class honours from Canterbury in 1968 he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship and completed a Ph.D. at Nottingham University in 1971. He returned to Canterbury as a lecturer in 1972, was promoted to senior lecturer in 1974, and 4 to reader last year.

Dr Orchard has appeared as counsel in the District Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal in criminal trials and appeals and in civil litigation. He is chairman of the university’s discipline committee. The following degrees were conferred by the chancellor (Miss J. M. Herbison) at the meeting: Doctor Of Philosophy; Mark Charles Grace Mabin in geography. Master Of Arts With Second Class Honours Division Two; Warwick Francis Duell in sociology. Bachelors Of Arts; Mark Kevin Fell, Pierre Lafayette Maru, Malcolm Cameron Wares; Bachelor Of Science; John Ernest Carbines. x Master ■Of Engineering; Stephen Joseph James Hirsch, electrical. Bachelor Of Engineering; Alan Gordon Wood, electrical. Lincoln College: Master Of Agricultural Science With Second Class Honours, Division One; Ivo Martins Cezar, in farm management