OBITUARY

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 80, 28 December 1940, Page 11

OBITUARY

Mr. W. A. Hawkina

'file death occurred recently at his home in Roscoe Terrace, Wadestown, of Mr. Walter Arnold Hawkins, aged 73, for some years Registrar of the Supreme Court and sheriff in Wellington, and a Court officer whoso courtesy and wide knowledge were always greatly appreciated by members of tlie legal profession and the public with whom he came in contact.

Mr. Hawkins was born iu Invercargill, and after leaving school in that citv he entered the public service ’as a member of the Supreme Court clerical staff. With a special aptitude for the formalities of the law, he remained in Invercargill for only two or three years, being promoted from that centre to. Christchurch. After a term there he gained further experience in Blenheim and Mahakipawa at the time when there was considerable gold-mining activity in that district. From there he was promoted to the Supreme Court office in Wellington. Thirty-three years ago he was appointed registrar of the Supreme Court in Dunedin and later in Christchurch. He remained there for five years, when he was promoted to Wellington, where he served as registrar and sheriff in succession to the late Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, for 10 years before his retirement. After retiring from official duties at tlie Supreme Court, Mr. Hawkins accepted the positions of secretary of the Wellington Law Society and the New Zealand La'w Society, from which offices he retired in 1.932, since when ho had been living in retirement in Wadestown. Mr. Hawkins was associated with Mr. W. W. Samson in the compilation of the “Law Almanac.” He leaves a widow, one son, Mr. Raw! Hawkins, and one daughter, Mrs. Parsons, Christchurch, who is at present staying in Wellington.