MR. F. V. FRAZER, S.M.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 43, 19 August 1918, Page 8

MR. F. V. FRAZER, S.M.

WELCOMED TO WELLINGTON.

There was a numerous gathering of the Bar in the Magistrate's Court this morning to welcome Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., who lias been transferred from Auckland to-Wellington. , Messrs. W. G. Riddell, 5.M.,; a-nd'.D." G. A. Cooper, S.M., were also'on'the Bench. Mr. P. Levi, ■ vice-president of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Law Society, apologised for the unavoidable absence of Sir John Findlay, K.C., and extended on behalf of the Bar a hearty welcome to Mr. Frazer. He understood, he said, that the appointment was a war appointment, owing to the unavoidable absence of Mr. Cooper, who was engaged in other important duties, and he must say they all hoped that that war period would be a short one. Otherwise- they were all very glad to have such an able and experienced gentleman on tho Bench at Wellington. He himself had not had the pleasure of appearing before Mr. Frazer, but from what ho heard from those who .had, he was sure that the relations between Mr. Frazer and the Bar would be of tho pleasantest description. The Wellington Bar had always the reputation of assisting the Bench to the utmost of its power, and he could assure Mr. Frazer that the Bar would give, him every assistance in its power in the administration of justice. He understood that Mr. Frazer came originally from Dunedin, which had the reputation of having almost a monopoly of - appointments to the Bench in New Zealand. He was sure that Mr. Frazer would uphold the reputation of Dunedin, and would be an ornament 10 the Bench in Wellington, and ho trusted that his stay here would be a happy one. (Applause.) Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., -endorsed Mr. Levi's remarks. The Magistrate's Courts were summary Courts, and it was necessary, owing to the great amount of business passing through, that they should be properly attended to, and that two Magistrates at any rate should be continually sitting here. The ordinary proceedings had, owing to the war, been somewhat disturbed, but they hoped that in future the Court work would be restored to its old continuity. From his own eleven years' experience in Wellington, he could assure Mr. Frazer that he would have the support of every member of the Bar practising here in comino; to a proper conclusion in any case that was heard before- him. He must say that in the whole of his experience the Bar had extended the, utmost courtesy to him, and he was sure they would extend the same courtesy to Mr. Frazer during his stay in Wellington. (Applause.) Mr. Frazer, in returning thanks for the welcome, said lie must confess that he felt somewhat sorry to leave Auckland, where he had been for seven years, but the month which he- spent in Wellington recently, and the very kindly welcome they had accorded him that morning, had taken away a great deal of the feeling of strangeness that always accompanied the- leaving of a place where one had been for years and going to a place where one did not know everybody. He thanked them sincerely for their welcome and their promise of assistance, and trusted that at the end of their period of working together there would be no mutual regrets. . (Applause.)