THE NEW JUDGE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 67, 17 September 1923, Page 6

THE NEW JUDGE

WELCOMED TO THE BENCH

"LONG AND DISTINGUISHED

CAREER."

A brief but impressive welcome to the Bench of the Supreme Court was to-day extended to the newly-appointed Judge, Mr. Justiqe MacGregor, by members o£ the Wellington Law Society. * There was a large gathering of members of the Bar, those present in the Court, including Mr. Justice Frazer (president of the Arbitration Court), Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., Mr. A. Gray, K.C., ?} r JohJL Fmdlay, K.C., and Mr. M. Myers, K.C.

"'Moy »t please your Honour," said Mr. W. Perry, president of the Wellington Law Society, "the members of the Wellington Bay have assembled hero this morning, as your Honour will see in very largo numbers for the purpo.4 of congratulating you upon your elevation to the Supreme Court Bench, and as president of the Wellington Law Society I desire to offer the congratulations of the society to you. Your Honour will ba relieved to hear that 1 do not proposft to make a long speech, nor do I propose tc traverse your Honour's I'.ng and distinguished career at the Bar. Suffice it to say that your Honour has for many years been well known to many of the senior members of the bar, inanv of whom have engaged in forensic battles with you. You have also been wellknown to younger members of the Ba? since you came to Wellington to occupy the high position of Solicitor-General. Suffice it to say, also, that your Honour's appointment was expected by all of' us. There was no element of surprise in it, and that may be taken as the surest indication of the felling'of satisfaction existing amongst the members of the Bar at the appointment. I desire to agaiu congratulate your Honour, and to say that we sincerely wish you a long and distinguished judicial career."

In reply, Mr. Justice MacGregor said that he desired to thank members of the Bar very sincerely forthe impressive and cordial greeting they had given him at the commencement of his judicial career in their midst.' He especially desired to thank Mr. Perry for the very kindly, but all to flattering words regarding himself. He was too conscious of his shortcomings to believe some of the nice things which Mr. Perry said concerning him, but he trusted that in his new position he might not disappoint altogether his old friends and comrades at the Bar, both in Wellington and in other parts of the Dominion. Finally, he would like to say that it was impossible to administer justice, properly in any Court unless there existed the most frank and cordial relations between the Bench and Bar. He need scarcely assure them that it would be his aim and endeavour to promote and continue those friendly relations, and Tie was sure, from his personal knowledge of the members of the Wellington Bar that they would meet him at least halfway.