NEW SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 21720, 15 May 1934, Page 1

NEW SOLICITOR-GENERAL

PROFESSOR CORNISH APPOINTED BORN AND EDUCATED iH OTAGO [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 14. The Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) announcecl to-dav that Professor H.H, Cornish, professor of English and hew Zealand law at Victoria University College, has been appointed. Solicitor. General in succession to Mr Justice Fair, who was recently elevated to the Supreme Court Bench. Professor Cornish will take over his new duties in a few days. ■ . ■ Professor Cornish was horn at Ka> tangata in 1887,_ and educated at the Otago Boys’ High School and the Otago University, at each of which institutions he was the holder of various scholarships. He was the first student in New Zealand to gain his M.A. degree with double first class honours iu°English, Latin, and philosophy. He was an Otago nqminee for a Rhodes Scholarship. After a. short career as a teacher on the staff of the Gisborne High School, he came, to Wellington to studv law at Victoria University College/ AVhile studying in Wellington he founded Wellesley College, or which lie was the first head master, and he conducted night classes in various subjects at Banks College; where Ins pupils gained many successes. He commenced practice about 1918 as a barrister and solicitor, and later becama a member of the firm of Webb, Richmond, and Cornish. In 1930 he succeeded Professor Garrow as professor of English and New Zealand law at Victoria University College, retaining his right to practice as a barrister. He has appeared as counsel in many important cases. At Victoria University College he has enjoyed considerable popularity as a professor, being president of 'both the football and the cricket clubs. He was a member for several years of the council of the Wei. lingtou 'District Law Society, of which he was president in 1926, and he has also been a member of the Council of the New Zealand Law Society and tin* Council of the Law Reporting and Rules Committee. In addition to the degree of master of arts, Professor Cornish holds the degree of LL.M.