NEW "SILKS"

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 60, 12 March 1934, Page 8

NEW "SILKS"

[THREE KING'S COUNSEL

SWEARING-IN CEREMONY

LARGE ASSEMBLAGE

With due formality, Mr. A. ,H. Johnstone, of Auckland, Mr. J. B. Callan, of Dunedin, and Mr. C. H. Weston, of Wellington, were sworn in today in the Supreme Court as King's Counsel before a large assemblage of fellow-practi-tioners, many of whom, wigged and gowned, were waiting to have fixtures made for eases to bo heard by the Court of. Appeal. On the Bench were the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), who presided, Mr. Justice Herdman, Mr. Justice MacGregor, Mr. Justice Blair, and Mr. Justice Kennedy. Keen interest was taken in the simple though dignified ceremony. Others in the body of .the Court besides the representatives of the local Bar included Sir • Charles Statham, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Justice, and there were also several ladies present, in the gallery upstairs. SOLEMN DECLARATION. Messrs. Johnstone, Callan, and Weston took their seats at the second bench, and after, at the invitation of the Chief Justice* tho Solicitor-General (Mr. A. Fair, K.C.) had been given leave to add another case to the list of cases for hearing by the Court of Appeal, each was asked to make a solemn declaration pertaining to the office of King's Counsel. According to •' seniority, each stood in turn, Mr. Johnstone first, followed by Mr. Callan, and then Mr. Weston, and read tho follow- ' ing declaration:— "I do declare that well and truly I ] will serve the King as one of his coun- ■ sel learned in the law and truly coun- : sel the King in his matters when I . shall ho called, and duly and truly ' minister the King's matters and sue the ■ King's process after the course of the ', law, and after my cunning. For any matter against iho King/ where the , King is party, I will take no wages nor - fee of any man. I will duly in con- : venient time speed such matters as any i person shall have to do in the law - against the King as. I may lawfully do ] without long delay, traeting, or tarry- , ing the party of his lawful process in i that that to mo belongeth.. I -n-ill be ' attendant to the.King's matters when • Ibe called thereto." i This declaration tho three, counsel, - still standing, signed, and the three j declarations wore handed up to the , Chief Justice by the Registrar (Mr. W. W. Samson). They were then addressed in the following words by the Chief Justice:— -\: < "Well, gentlemen, the Governor- i General_ in Council, having been pleased 1 to appoint each of you io be one of his ' Majesty's counsel learned in the law i will you take your seat^ within the 1 Bar?" t "YOU DO MOVE?" U Whereupon Messrs. Johnstone, Cal- i lan, and Weston moved into the front i bench, taking their places alongside t Mr. A. Fair, K.C. The next procedure was the following question addressed ; to each in turn by the Chief Justice: j "Mr. ——, you do move?" This was 1 responded to by a grave obeisance, after j which the new "silks," as King's < •Counsel are called, turned and bowed i to their fellow-practitioners behind j them-. . The other counsel stood and E bowed. j Messrs. Johnstone, Callan, and Weston ( took their seats again, and without fnr- i ther ado the Bench turned its atten- t tion to the making of fixtures for the first sitting this year of the Court of £ Appeal. When, later the Court ad- i journed for a short time the new c "silks" were warmly congratulated by 1 counsel and other friends in having at- -v tamed the high legal honour, t Mr. Callan, who is well known in legal circles in Dunedin, intends prac- t Rising in-Wellington after the Easter g vacation. -Mr. Weston camo to Wei- t lington.towards, the end of last.year. \ Mr. Johnstone,' though he practises in r Auckland, is no stranger in Welling- s ton, there being few sittings' of the ]j Court of Appeal at which he is not c engaged. t . HOLDERS OF THE OFFICE. f The three new appointments increase f the number of holders of the office in I New Zealand to nine. The other King's Counsel practising in the Do- r minion at the present time aTe as follows:—Sir Francis Bell (Wellington), a Mr. Frederick Earl (Auckland), Mr ll Frederick Wilding (Christchurch), Mr. ° Saul Solomon (Dunedin), Mr. Arthur ? Fair (Wellington), and Mr. A. C. Han- V lon (Dunedin). In' addition there is + Sir Thomds Wilford, but' he is absent r from the Dominion. . z.