OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR. T. F. MARTIN

Mr. Thomas Frederick Martin, the well-known barrister and solicitor, died at his residence, 106 Upland Road, on Christmas Day. The late Mr. Martin, who was born in Kent, England, was the son of Mr. Thomas Martin, solicitor, of London, and after completing his education at Torquay and Heidelberg, Germany, he was articled to the law in his father’s office, and was admitted to the Bar in England as far back as 1574. Five years later he came to New Zealand and was admitted to the Bar the same year. He practised the law for a few years in Canterbury, and in 1884 was appointed town clerk and city solicitor to the Wellington City Council. He resigned the former position in 1889, and was succeeded by Mr. J. E. Page. He continued, however, to act as city solicitor until the appointment of Mr. John O’Shea to that office in 1904. Mr. Martin had never made a whole-time job of the position, but was consulted from time to time as legal points cropped up and deeds were called for. Mr. Martin made a special study of municipal law, and his opinion was sought from one end of the Dominion to the other, and is still frequently quoted in the higher courts when knotty points respecting local body law are in question. He was appointed solicitor to the Municipal Association of New Zealand in 1891, and to the Counties’ Association in 1894. In the former position he has been succeeded by Mr J. O’Shea, but his son retains the position of secretary of that body, but right up to the time of his death he retained the position of solicitor to the Counties’ Association of New Zealand. In the year 1895 Mr. Martin prepared the Local Government Bill, for which he received high praise. His publications included “Conveyancing in New Zealand,” “Property Law Act, 1905.” “Land Laws of New Zealand,” and “Opinions on Local Government Law in New Zealand.” The late Mr. Martin was a devout churchman, and at one time was a lay member of the Anglican Synod of Wellington. Of modest, retiring, studious habit, the late Mr. Martin was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him, and for what he did for the City of Wellington as city solicitor, before the present regime, his name will be remembered with respectful gratitude.