TRIBUTES FROM BENCH AND BAR. A TOUCHING SCENE.

Evening Post, Volume LXV, Issue 98, 27 April 1903, Page 5

TRIBUTES FROM BENCH AND BAR. A TOUCHING SCENE.

Practically all the local members of the legal profession assembled in the Supreme Court in their robes this morning to join in the respectful tribute to be paid to the deceßwd gcntlehian'B moniury. An additional pathetic interest was lent to the impressive proceedings by reason of tho fact that scarce two days had passed since the members of tho legal fraternity had gathered together in the same plnce, when Air. TraverVwau in their midst and spoke oi> their behalf. This morning, after bis Honour tho Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) had token his seat on the Bench, • Mr. F. H. D. Bell, President of the New Zealand Law Society, rose — tha others present doing likewise — and, on behalf of the society and aH members of the profession, naked permission to refer to the "great loss the colony, and more especially the legal profession, hn3 suffered by tho lamentable death of Mr. WiJ. liam Thomas Locke Ti avers. Mr. Bell, who was evidently much aifected by tfeo «4d occasion — indeed so much to that his remarks were nt times inaudible to hi* listeners— went on to refer to tho personal worth of Iho deceased gentleman, who was, he said, the be-,t and cheeciest of friends it was possible to possess. A» they all knew, he sustained an even and most impartial mind in the most stirring of evenUs, and had borne his share ot managing the affairs of tho colony. Outside tho profession of the law, he was— if over a man wus in this colon v—honoured, respected, and loved. He was the. last of the members who sat in the first Parliament of New Zealand, the laM of the men who helped to found our Constitution and 1 system. Although ho held only for a short time tho office of Attor-ney-General, yet, as his Honour knew, he was offered and refused the permanent and continued potation of that office on the resignation of the hUe Chief Justice on his elevation, to tho Bench. A man who had throughout his career left an exumplo to the profession — an homnimbto and upright lawyer, whose only dtTect as an advocate was his extreme fuirnei« his wa» not only a britliajit career, bub an honourable one—honourable to him and honourable to the members of ti<o profession, and a real example lo those who had now only to honour his memory. How many of them had sought the ndvantage of his counsel, the benefit of his l'ipe experience, and needless to say they More helped by that experience. "Personally," concluded Mr. Bell, with much feeling, " 1 have lost a real friend, whoso friendship it was an honour to possess. ' Quis desideris sit pudor nut lEodus jam cai'i capitis.' " Mr. C. P. Skcrrett,. President of theWellington District Law Society. vh» wag also much moved, said it wa» fitting that ho should, on behalf of the* Wellington Society, oxprcf* tho deep asiso of the loss sustained by the B»r by the death of Mr. Travers — & loss not only of tho members of the Wellington Bar, but a lo*s equally of the whole colony^ As a member of tbo Bar and as & friend, h« was an aWe and upright lawyer — one of the must respected membeis of an ancient and great profession — whose professional conduct wai ahsolutelv exemplary.- ■JNo confrere- was more loved by the local le?a! frntc-nity than was Mi\ ' Travers*. ' 1T» eh>uia of his manner and conversation, his great learning and knowledge, tbe purity of his private Hfe, as weil as his genuineness and goodness, and W» readiucss to assist nil in trouble, endeared him to every one. He was not only | » lawyer, but a man of great publio spirit, a man who had taken a prominent part in the affairs of the colony and 4 man of very great scientific attainments. It" was with the deepest regret that tie. members of the Bar J of fche deatiij of their lafy fr >aL. ,

His Honour} vising, and addressing tho gentlemen of the bar with much impresaiveness, concurred thut it was only fitting that some rotanmce should be made t« tho departure from amongst them of Uv. Travel*. .Personally, he had ouly known, the deceased gentltunuu for about tbjrty years, hut befoio they became acquainted peraonally, ho knew of him by reputation. Within about a fortnight Mr, Travers would btivo been 53 years at the bar. Ho was the oldest member of tho bar in thia colony, und he had had iv hia life «, most distinguished vareer. Before he came to this colony he had distinguished himself by bravery and ability in the field of battle in Spam, tind for that ha<d received recognition lit the hands of tho Spanish Sovereign, and was created a Knight of one of the Spanish Ordora. When ho came to this colony he camo as au earty colonist, and," himself a pioneer, throw himself into tht: many struggles of the early colonists from the very timo he landed. His Honour referred to the deceased gentluni(uv'» public services and his high attainments. Nob only for his great abilities would he bo remembered but also for his great kindnoss and goodness. It ■w«s only those who woro brought into oloso relationship with him that could fully appreciate his life, and his Honour felt sure that not only for tho members of the bar but also for the citizens of Wellington thia doath would cause . a blank that could not easily, bo filled. The speaker exceedingly regretted the B(Hl event, and ho felt sure the sympathy of this community would go out to those loved ones left behind. It was perhaps not necetwary to say more except that the Into Mr. Travertt had certainly left behind him wi example to tho bar, and no one could chacge him with anything but the most upright conduct in every walk of life. "Gimtlewen of the Bar," concluded his Honour, "I need say no more. Tho other members of tho Bench, as well au myself, exceedingly regret the decease of Mr. Travcrs, and feel that we have lost one who w»| evor an aid to U8 in the performance and administration Of justice." The Chief Justice then resumed hrs •eat, and after a few moments of silence tl)« legal gentlcmon left tho Courtroom, •which was more than ordinarily crowded -with tho public, including jurors and witnesses attending tho opening day of tho quarterly sessions. In tho Supreme Court, sitting in its civil jurisdiction, Mr. Justice Edwards, before commencing the trial of the case «f tho King v. Riddiford this morning, mid, addreasiug the Bar : — "I do not think tiuafc.l ought to begin tho business of this Court to-day without expressing my profound grk>f nt tho lamontablo ikcidont which mm removed from our midst trar oJdimd nfcH-teved friend, Mr, Tnvvera No opportunity was afforded to me of joining in tho tribute, which, I under* *t&nd, hw already boon paid to his memory in another brunch of this Court, Mid I think that I, who havo known him' to long and no well, ought not to allow mytelf to appear to bo wanting iv retpect to his memory. For more years ..than we of the intermediate generation ciui remember Mr. Travers hits been a leading practitioner of this Court — for ! many years' he was the most foremost practitioner. Ho caw grow around him two generations of the ' Bar ; he saw many younger men dupart beforo him. During all that long career be tho respoct and the kivo of tho Bench and Bar 'alike. In losing htm wo feel that W9 have loot not only a friend, but ft'hmdmark in the "history of tho colony and of the Bar. Truly ,he was one of the fow men of whom it can justly be said that they r» loved by tbeit feHow men. I cxpresn, I know, tho feelings of the Bar, as well as my own feelings, when, ? my thdX our griof and horror hrj Sincere and profound that instead of tho peaceable plisSing away which wo all anticipated for him he should liavo been ©vrrtttken by a fato so unforseen, so sudden, and so tnvgic." Mr. Bell briefly replied on behalf of tho- Bar, thanking hi* Honour for having in a few words expressed the unanimous feeling of the Bar with respect to Mr. Travers' tragic end. Whwn tho Magistrate's Court sat this morning Mr. K. 0. Jellicoe, as senior member of the bar present— other momIxts standing — referred to the Into Mr. Trtvvers tef a personal friend and^ also aa ono of the beat friends und loaders of tho bar. He suggested that bis Worship »iltow tho Court to be adjourned out of respoct to deceased's memory. Dr. A. M'Arthur, 8.M., stated that yesterday it woa his plenduro to spend the whole nftovnoon with tho late Mr. Truvcrs, who \vn« then in his best health and spirits, and showed the kindly disposition he entertained towards everybody. His Worship had no hesitation in saying that no man was more prepared to go when called ujpon. He coula only say that, in accordance with Mr. Jellitoe's request, a» toon as tliey dixchnrged the shc«t before them, tho rest of the business would be adjourned till 2,30 p.m. lUie hvt» Mr. Travern was married twice. His first wife died in Wellington cbout ton vsars ago, leaving him a son {Mr- H. H. Trovers) and a daughter (Mrs. Coleridge). His second wife, a daughter of Captain Barclay, of Wellington, survives him. [bt TKLMBArn— rnim assooutiox] DUNEDIN, Thte Day, ' On the Supremo Court assembling this morning, Mr. Justice Witttams paid a tribute of respect to Mr. Trwvcrs's memoty. «»ying in coi»chw»ion— " Hia last appearanco in Court wo* on Sj»ttirdaj\ when with great <%nity_ and vigour ho spoke to defend, the honour of tho -Court with •which ho had been so long associated. That w»a indeed a fitting <trown to n, long and useful career." Tiie entire B»r remaluod standing while the Judge spoke.