VALEDICTORY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 6

VALEDICTORY.

1 —. —— ■ PRESENTATION S MR. JAMES ASHCROFT. CONCERNING BANKRUPTS. ' TWO-THIRDS HONEST —ONE-THIRD ROGUES. Thero was a large, gathering in'the Old Magistrate's Court-room of the' Supremo Court building yesterday/ aftornoon .on tho occasion of a. farowell presentation from tho 1 members of the legal profession to Mr. James Ashcroft, who has just retired from the posi- , tiori ; of" Official Assignee, Apologies were . received from several members, of tho pw fession • who . were . unable to be present on. 1 account-'of business ,engagements. The chair was occupied by tho Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mayor, who remarked that the purpose of tho gathering.waa to say farewell;to■ Mr. Ashcroft in his official capacity, anu: for. the purposo of expressing their appreciation of the manner in which Mr. Ashcroft had al- . ways conducted the affairs. attaching to ■ liis office during his long connection with .it. (Ap--1 plauso.) - - ' ,; r , , The speaker's recollection of their- guest . went hack, at least forty y'ears ; and during that'time'Mr.' Ashcroft had exhibited a great amount of talent, and had always conducted the duties devolving upon him in a. manner that gave satisfaction to all those-with, whom i ho came in contact. Further, tho work had • been pleasant to-all concerned. -The chairi man expressed to Mr. Ashcroft their appreci- , ation of his services in the past, and their regret at the fact that ho was leaving them officially, and voiced the hope that the ro- •• mainder of his life would be peaceful and I happy. In conclusion, the chairman, amidst I applause, handed Mr. Ashcroft a cheque for sixty guineas. Mr. H. D. Bell, on behalf of the New Zealand Law Society, also spoko in eulogistic terms of tho services rendered by Mr. Ashcroft 1 during his long torm of . office. The legal profession knew, perhaps, more than the outside public of tho work Mr. Ashcroft had l been called upon, to perform, and he could 1 say their guest had had ; the confidence of all in . tho profession. Whatever Mr. Ashcroft had to'do he had always carried out 'to the best of', his ability, and the conduct of the business was such as to bo a' credit to him' and those associated with him. Mr. Ashcroft had invariably done his best for the private interests entrusted to him, and his best for tho public service. - ' ■■■ : Mr; Ashcroft, who was greeted with. ap--1 plause, said-it was hardly possible, for him 1 to express the gratification lie felt, at seeing so many professional men gathered to do him this honour. He had had twenty-four years of official life, nine, at ;Dunedin, and fifteenat Wellington, but that by."no means-, represented. his business, life, .which extended •over 61 years; and was coiinnoncod in, London in 1847. Before being appointed to the post of Official. Assignee .he- had laboured in Oamaru and Dunedin. The present gathering .'.seemed t tp him an additional ; piece'of generr osity on the .'part ()f the profession, inasmuch 'as • it had beeii part /of his .duties to keep a strict, eye on them. ( . Commenting.on bankruptcy now and as it 1 had been in tho early days of his offioe, the speaker remarked that tho bankruptcy business had fallen off greatly during the past few years. He had in his hnnd a return that snowed that in 1884 tho number of-bankruptcies was 846, and in 1904 180. The dccreaso had commenced with-the advent of the Liberal' Ministry. (Cries of . Hear, hear.) Tho Bankruptcy Act had'something to do r with tho decrease, but so'had the general prosperity of the Dominion!; Referring to his work, Mr.. Ashcroft pointed' out that besides his own immediate duties ho had twelvo deputies, with, whom .ho was in conl staht. communication, ■ and had' also' to perform the duties of Coroner. During fifteen years < in\tho latter'office'he: had sat at .1150.'inquests. , Tho number'of/bankrjiptcies which , had' come under his ' supervision had been something like 3000. ,He" .had-been .'told that . he had: been-too kind-'to'ba'nkruptsj 'but ho did:n<Jt- think he had.'- Fromvhis- experience he would say'there.wefe'two-tliirds"of honest bankrupts,..arid the. other one-third, were a. considerable variety .of rogues. Ho had endeavoured to punish those who .deserved punishment, but he never, had : any- pleasure in dealing_ harshly with „men -.whose troubles were misfortune. His 'dosire throughout had been, to do justice. . But , for his illness ho • would'have been more'closely in touch, with the profession since his retirement. He had enjoyed fair,-health, on. tho,. whole, but had been:-suddenly 'struck down, and feared at one time that lie would not '■ get up again. However, ho was thankful I ,to say he was improving, now, and, ho hoped to have tho strength to do'spmethihg further. Ho was 74 years of ago, and.could not hope to live much longer, but as long as he lived ho would do what he could to'be-of -use'to his fellow-creatures, and omploy himself in a profitablo manner. Ho would alwnys remember tho kindness with which hp had been met that afternoon, and_ tho manner in which' 'they had spoken'of him.