SIR MICHAEL MYERS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 69, 15 December 1931, Page 8

SIR MICHAEL MYERS

Chief Justice. Honoured A PRIVY COUNCILLOR Judicial Committee Link The King’s approval of the appointment of Sir Michael Myers, Chief Justice, as a member of the Privy Council, was announced by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledlsloe, last evening. The appointment will enable New Zealand to resume its representation on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Dominion has not been represented on that tribunal since the death of Sir Robert Stout In July, 1930. The Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Myers, K.C., K.C.M.G., P.C., was appointed Chief Justice of New Zealand in succession to the late Hon. Sir Charles Skerrett on April 30, 1929. An outstanding member of the legal profession, Sir Michael’s career has been one of brilliant achievement.

Born in Motueka on September 7, 1873, he is a son of the late Mr. J. Myers, founder of the firm of Messrs. J. Myers and Co., Ltd. He was educated at Thorndon School, Wellington College, and Canterbury University College, distinguishing himself at the age of twelve by winning—and topping the list In—a primary education board scholarship, of which at that time only six were awarded. He attended Wellington College for five years, and in addition to winning another primary education board scholarship obtained various college exhibitions and scholarships, including the Turnbull scholarship. In 1892 Sir Michael joined the staff of Messrs. Bell, Gully and Izard, and graduated LL.B. four years later. In

March, 1897, he was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, and in 1899 he was admitted to partnership in the firm. He repiained as a member of Messrs. Bell, Gully, Bell and Myers (altered in title In 1919 to Messrs. Bell, Gully, Myers and O’Leary) until September, 1922, when he became a King’s Counsel, and, In accordance with the'terms of the Law Practitioners Amendment Act, 1915, he commenced practice on his own account as a barrister only. A Distinguished Barrister. A long association with Sir Francis Bell and the late Mr. H. Gully proved of great advantage to Sir Michael, and immediately after his, admission to the Bar in 1897 he gained a substantial practice, both as barrister and solicitor, and for many years until 1910 he took a large proportion of Crown cases, both criminal and civil. There were few important civil cases in the twenty years prior to his elevation to the Chief Justiceship in which Sir Michael did not appear. In the “sugar” case in 1912 and 1913 he acted in conjunction with the late Sir Charles Skerrett, and in the “flour” case concerning Distributors, Ltd., in 1924 he also appeared again in association with Sir Charles Skerrett in the Supreme Court at Dunedin, and later in the Court of Appeal. In 1921 Sir Michael, appearing with Messrs. McVeigh and Johnstone, of Auckland, successfully defended the directors of the Dominion Portland Cement Company, Ltd., in a claim against them by the liquidator for about £200,000 damages. Sir Michael has also conducted cases before the Privy Council. In 1911 he successfully appeared for the respondent in the case of Allardyce v. Allardyce, and in 1920 he appeared in six cases, including the “flour” case, in all of which he was successful. Many Royal Commissions.

Sir Michael enjoyed a considerable amount of Parliamentary practice. He appeared for Mr. Hine in connection with the charges made by him in the House of Representatives in 1910. He also acted in various election petitions. He was in the Stratford election petition, Hine v. Masters, in 1920, in which the petitioner, for whom Sir Michael appeared, was successful. Mr. Masters, however, was returned at the new election. In the Western Maori election petition in 1923 Sir Michael and Mr. H. F. O’Leary successfully appeared for the respondent, Sir Maui Pojnare. In Royal Commissions, also, be took a prominent part, having conducted many cases, including the following : Waihou and Ohinemuri River Silting, 1910; 'Auckland Tramway Brakes; Foxton Wharf and North Island Main Trunk Line Deviation; Sale of Poverty Bay Meat Company’s Works.. One of the last civil cases in which he took part, and which lasted for 18 days, was the arbitration to settle the value of the undertaking of the Hawera Electric Light Company for the purposes of a proposed purchase by the South Taranaki Electric Power Board. Sir Michael acted for the board. For many years he was a member of the Wellington District Law Society, being twice vice-president and twice president. He was also a member of the council of the New Zealand Law Society. For one year he represented Wellington, and after the elevation of the late Sir Charles Skerrett to the Bench as Chief Justice he represented Gisborne. He was a member for several years of the Council of Law Reporting, representing the Wellington District Law Society. He was also the foundation president of the New Zealand Club.

On the same day as he entered into the partnership of Messrs. Bell, Gully, Bell and Myers, August 2, 1899, Sir Michael married Miss Salom, daughter of the late Hon. Maurice Salom. M.L.C.. of Adelaide, South Australia Sir Michael received his knighthood in the New Year Honours, 1930. lie was sworn in as Administrator of New Zealand on the departure of the former Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. on February 8 last year In tins capacity he served until the arrival of Lord Blcdisloe in New Zealand on March 18. 1930. Sir Michael was recently appointed president of the Hawke’s Bay Earthquake Adjustment gbuxU