POPULAR OFFICIAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 122, 27 May 1925, Page 9

POPULAR OFFICIAL

RETIRES FROM JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT

At the end of this week one of the most popular officials in the Justice Department will retire in the person of Mr. Walter Arnold Hawkins, for many years Registrar and Sheriff, in the Supreme Court in Wellington, and Registrar of the New Zealand Appeal Courts.' No official in the Courts in Wellington lias been held in higher esteem than Mr. Hawkins, and though he ha 3 completed his many years of service and will probably enter a private enterprise in Wellington, his tall figure and very pleasant countenance will lie very greatly missed by Bench and Bar and by those others whose duties are also connected with the Supreme Court work. He has set a standard for courtesy and ability which should act as an example to all who camo in contact with him.

Mr. Hawkins joined the Department in the combined Supreme, District, and Magistrate's Court offices in Invercargill in 1882, being removed a few years later to Christclrarch, where ho remained until 1890. His next duties brought, him in contact with tlio big gold rush in tho Maryborough district, in tlio next few years, and until 1894 he- was Receiver of Gold Revenue, and Mining Registrar at Havelock and Cullonsville and elsewhere in the area. He was then at Blenheim for a year, and then came to Wellington to tako up the Deputy positions of Registrar and Sheriff, as well as Clerk of Awards under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1894, a new Act which then caused widespread interest. In this sphere Mr. Hawkins was responsible for a great deal of the spade work which gradually lifted tho new scheme to its present position. Tho Workers' Compensation Act camo later, and his suggestions also helped this scheme to successful being. In 1906 Mr. Hawkins was appointed Registrar of tlio Supreme Court and Sheriff at Auckland during the absence of the Registrar, then on leave, and in IPOB lie was appointed Registrar and Sheriff of the Supreme Court at Duncclin, which position carried with it the duties of Marshal to the Supreme Court in its Admiralty jurisdiction. Two years Inter Mr. ITnwldns was transferred'from Dunedin back to Christchurch, where he held similar positions. In 1914 he was promoted to tho position of Registrar and Sheriff in Wellington, where in addition he was also Registrar to the Appeal Court. This position ho has since held.