High Court judge sworn in

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 4

High Court judge sworn in

Before the biggest gathering assembled in the No. 1 High Court, Mr Neii Williamson, the Crown solicitor in Christchurch since 1968, was sworn in as a judge of the High Court by the Chief Justice, Sir Ronald Davison, yesterday afternoon. Also on the bench were Mr Justice Holland, Mr Justice Hardie Boys, Mr Justice Heron, and Sir Alec Haslam, a retired judge of the High Court. Sir Ronald said that plans for the Christchurch court

tower block would be completed by August of this year and tenders would be let by the end of the year. It was estimated that the building would take 3¥z years to complete. Initially, Mr Justice Williamson had been appointed to Wellington but would probably sit in Christchurch after further space was provided for judges’ chambers. After outlining the procedure for appointing judges, Sir Ronald said that he hoped that in his time a woman and a Maori would be appointed to the High Court Bench. When he had expressed that wish to an elderly Maori woman at Rotorua she agreed but added that the appointments would have to be made strictly on the merits of the persons concerned. Speakers at yesterday’s ceremony were the Solici-tor-General, Mr D. P. Neazor, Q.C., and the president of the Canterbury District Law Society, Mr I. S. Cameron. Mr Justice Williamson replied. Mr Justice Williamson is the second member of his family to be appointed a judge. Some six years ago his elder brother, Noel, was appointed a judge of the Arbitration Court.

The two eldest of Mr Justice Williamson’s six children, Jerome, aged 22, and Nicola, aged 20, are

both in their final year of study at the University of Canterbury for an Ll.B. degree. His Honour, who is 46, was educated at Xavier College in Christchurch. He played college’s First XI and First XV. In 1961 he set up in legal practice after graduating from the University of Canterbury, and in the same year married Maree Rondel. He became a partner in Raymond, Donnelly and Company in 1964. Since 1983 he has been chairman of the disciplinary tribunal of the Canterbury District Law Society. He was South Island vice-president of the New Zealand Law Society and has worked to develop free legal advice centres and other legal assistance schemes. Since he stopped playing rugby and cricket he has been interested in dinghy sailing and tramping. Also present at yesterday’s ceremony was Mr Justice Williamson’s father, Mr John Williamson, aged 83, a retired bootmaker. Mr Justice Williamson was chairman of the Handicapped Child Allowance Appeal Board and a member of the Catholic Social Services Consultative Committee. He was also an active member of the St John Ambulance Association for many years.