Farewell to judge

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 5

Farewell to judge

Mr Justice Cook sat for the final time in the High Court yesterday morning. A special sitting to mark his retirement was held at the request of the Canterbury District Law Society.

Mr Justice Cook, who was in practice in Dunedin for many years, was appointed to the Bench in December, 1979.

Mr Nigel Hampton, president of the Canterbury Law Society, said that Mr Justice Cook was the seventh Otago Law

Society president to be appointed to the Bench. He had had a distinguished war record, serving in the Middle East and Itaiy with the 2nd New Zealand Division and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1945 he was awarded the 0.8. E. and later was awarded the Efficiency Decoration for service with the Territorial Force. From 1946 to 1979 he was a partner in the Dunedin legal firm of Cook, Allan and Company

and played a leading part in the affairs of the Otago and New Zealand law societies. In 1977 he was appointed a New Zealand Law Society representative on the Company Law Society Advisory Committee. He had also served as a director of a number of prominent companies. To thank Mr Justice Cook for his service over the years the council had elected him an honorary member of the Canterbury District Law Society, Mr Hampton said.