OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 19 May 1925, Page 11

OBITUARY

SIR THEOT'HU.US COOI'EI! EX: JUDGE.

;EY TEI.EQr.APB.—IT.ESS ASSOCIATION.)

, EI/QTAM, 18th May. The Hon. Sir Theophihis Cooper, exJudge of thu Supreme Court, passed away this afternoon, aged 75 years, at the residence of his son,' Dr. 11. A. Cooper,. Eltham. He had been iv failing health for some time, but the final illness was short. He will be interred at Hamilton on Thursday afternoon.

"From the printing office to the Supreme Court flench" is a phrase thai, to some extent at least explains the ambition that impelled the late Mr. Theophihis Cooper to overcome all diifi- • culties in choosing his career. Born at Newington, Surrey, England, in 1851, the eldest son of the family which afterwards settled in Auckland, he was always one of the most industrious of men. In company with his parents he came out to New Zealand by the ship Gevtvude in 1862, being one of a party of Nonconformists who established " the Albertland Settlement, north of Auckland. After residing for about two years at. Port Albert, Kaipara, where he hold a position on the composing staff of the "Albertland Gazette," he removed to Auckland, obtaining employment on the staff of "The Southern Cross," then published as a daily'newspaper. Four years late Mr. "Cooper, who had gained the reputation of being one of the quickest type-setters on the staff, relinquished his position and entered the office of (lie late Mr. J. 15. Russell as a law clerk. In a brief period he rose to the position of accountant, but gave up that situation soon after to study for the legal profession. Mr, Cooper,, who was articled to Mr. Russell, was admitted a, barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court by the late Mr. Justice Gillies, on 20th June, 1873. Bo was then taken into partnership by his employers, the style of the linn being . Russell, Devore, and Cooper. The partnership continued until May, 1883, when Mr. Russell retired. Mr. Cooper acted as leading counsel for the Bank of New Zealand in the lengthy proceedings before the Banking. Commission in 1897. .Ho appeared with Messrs. Chapman and Harper to oppose the Attorney-Gen-eral's application to the Appeal Court for the cancellation of Mr. Justice Kdwards's first appointment, which, the Privy Council ultimately held, the Government had not the power to make. My. Cooper represented the Midland Railway Company in the Midland Railway Arbitration proceedings before the Hon. Edward Blake. M.P. He was prominent in connection with a .number of-other important cases. For many years be was a member of the Council of Law Reporting in New Zealand, and a member of the Council of the New Zealand Law Society. For nearly twenty years he was a member of the Auckland Education Board, and a governor of the Auckland College 'and. Grammar School. Mr. Cooper did much Useful work. Lack of leisure compelled him repeatedly to decline the.chairmanship of this and other educational bodies. Fur close on fifteen years he was an honorary inspector of liu'ialio asylums. Frequently lie was asked to 'accept . nominal ion for an Auckland scat in tfie lluusc. of Representatives, and be vns often mentioned as » prospective occupant of the Supreme Court Bench. For ■many years hr; rriiderrrt valuable assistance in connection with the Sunday afternoon service; held 'in Auckland' ■under-tlm auspices of the V.M.C.A., and in a variety of other ways unsparingly devoted his time «ud his talents lo i'luj welfare of that cify. He. was appointed a Judge of the Supremo Court . and. president of the Arbitration Court in February, 1901, and shortly afterwards held -his first session iv that city. He continued as president of the Arbitration Court until September, 1903, when Mr. Justice Chapman relieved him. Thereafter his Honour, in conjunction with the Chief Justice, conducted the business of the Supreme Court in the i Wellington judicial district. Ho retired from the Bench in 1921, in which vinr ho received the honour of knighthood, and since then he lived in retirement at Eltham.

The iat<- Mr. Justice Cooper was married in 1878' to the youngest daimhter of the late Mr. A. A. Alexander, ami there wore two sons and three, daughters of the union. One of (h.s arms was killed in aciinn in l'"ranee in June 1910, din-ing thf Yin-iil, War.