MEMORY HONOURED

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 216, 9 June 1936, Page 13

MEMORY HONOURED

Bench and Bar Pay Tribute To Mr. C. H. Treadwell LOSS TO PROFESSION Feeling tributes to the memory of the late Mr. Charles Herbert Treadwell were paid by Bench and Bar in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterdav. Relatives of Mr. Treadwell were present, and on the Bench were the ActingChief Justice (Mr. Justice Reed), Mr. Justice Blair and Mr. Justice Smith. Mr. B. L. Dullard, Under-Secretary of Justice, Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., .Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., and Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., were also present in the court, and there was a large attendance of members of the legal profession, including the Attorney-General, Hon. 11. G. R. Mason. Expressions of sympathy to the relatives were made by speakers. Until a few weeks ago, Mr. Treadwell had been actively filling—as be long had done—a place of much influence and honour in the conduct of legal affairs, said the Attorney-General. For upward of 50 years he practised in Wellington, and was held in deserved esteem for his knowledge of the law. his devotion to clients’ interests, and his unswerving honesty. When he came to New Zealand after being educated both in England and Scotland, Mr. Treadwell entered the profession with an equipment not only of law but also of general culture, to which as the years went by he made continuous addition, and which gave a quality of distinctive excellence to his work. He had a genuine love of good literature and an extensive knowledge of it; ne was an accomplished botanist and a collector of New Zealand flora and nn authority on it; lie was devoted to the Interests of his profession, and jealous of its honour; he was an acknowledged leader in its councils and was among the foremost in the establishment >f the Fidelity Guarantee Fund. For many years Mr. Treadwell was the competent and trusted adviser of certain, trading State departments, too prosperity of which was in no small measure attributable to his wise and Judicious counsel, proceeded Mr. Mason. Perhaps his strongest claim to the gratitude of his colleagues—and it was a strong one —was based on the work he did over many years in the cause of law reporting. Widely-sought Opinion. In the absence of Mr. H. F. O'Leary, K.C., president of the New Zealand Law Society, Mr. G. G. G. Watson spoke on behalf of the practitioners of the Dominion. The late Mr. Treadwell, he said, was one of the few practitioners who spent a full half-century In the practise of the law in Wellington. Having passed bis professional examinations with distinction, being placed first equal for his year with the late Mr Justice Adams and the late Mr. Justice MacGregor, he was admitted to the Bar at the early age of 21. Lio speedily acquired a reputation as a practitioner who served his clients well by reason of bis sound knowledge >f general legal principles and his preeminent knowledge of certain special branches of the law, notably insurance and native law. upon which his opinion ultimately became sought in all parts of the Dominion. After making eulogistic references to the zealous work of Mr. Treadwell >n regard tv law reports. Mr. Watson continued by saying that he well-served the interests of the profession also in the wider activities of the council of the New Zealand Law Society. After serving as a member of the council for many years he became vice-president in 1926, and he achieved the highest, honour—the presidency of the society—in 1933.

Associating members of tiie Wellington District Law Society with the tributes paid by other speakers, Mr. ,D. Perry said that Mie death of Mr. Tread well would be particularly felt by bis fellow-practitioners in Wellington, because to them during the course of his long professional career in their midst be hud rendered services which it had fallen to the lot of but few to render. Mr. Treadwell was elected to the council of the Wellington District Law Society in 1912, the following year was vice-president, and in 1914 president, in that' year he was elected as one "f the representatives on the council of the New Zealand Law Society, and tn 1916 he was elected one of Wellington’s representatives on the council of Law Reporting. Tribute From the Bench.

‘The Snprcme Court Bench desires to join with the Bar in paying a tribute of respect to tiie memory of the late Mr. Treadwell.” .said the ActingChief Justice (Mr. Justice Reed). ‘ln the course of a long and honourable career at the Bar, Mr. Treadwell has not hesitated to devote a considerable part of the scant leisure that comes

to a barrister in active practice to furthering the interests o_f the profession. As president of tiie New Zealand l4tw Society and member for a long period of the council he was ever attentive to the duties of his office, but his activities will be more particularly remembered in connection with bis many years of useful service ns treasurer of the council of Law Reporting, in connection with which it can be confidently stated that the very satisfactory financial position of that body is mainly due to his untiring efforts in its interests.”