NEW MAGISTRATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1928, Page 8

NEW MAGISTRATE

AUCKLAND MAN APPOINTED.

(Special to “Star.")

AUCKLAND, February 24.

Mr. J. H. Luxford, a well-known member of the Auckland Bar, has been appointed a Stipendiary Magistrate.- It is not yet known in which centre he will bo stationed. The appointment is a distinct compliment to Auckland, for the last vacancy on the Magisterial Bench was filled by a local barrister, Mr. S. L. Paterson. The latest “S.M.” was the recipient of many congratulations this morning, w-hen it became known that he had telegraphed to Wellington his acceptance of the offer.

John Hector Luxford was born at Palmerston North in 1890, the youngest son of Mr. W. L. Luxford, now of Mount Albert. He has had a distinguished career as an athlete, and His war record is creditable, for he was specially mentioned in despatches from France by the late Earl Haig. Mr. Luxford was educated at Palmerston, at Dannevirke and at the Wanganui Collegiate School. In 1908, he joined the staff of Mr. C. L. McDiarmid, solicitor, of Hamilton, and in 1913 he was admitted to the Bar by the late Mr. Justice Cooper. During his time at Hamilton he played in the representative Rugby fifteen and was a member of the Hamilton R.C’s senior fours. Ho also held a commission in the 16th Waikato Regiment. After his admission to the bar he practised in Te Awamutu with Mr. E. A. Cox. On the outbreak of Avar he enlisted in the New Zealand Main Body, but owing to an injury he was seconded to the machine gun instructional school at Trentham at the end of 1915. When hs was fit for active service, he joined the New Zealand Division in Egypt, and in April of the following year went to France. He took part in every engagement, being slightly wounded at Messines, and specially mentioned dispatches for his work at the first battle of the .Somme. He was dangerously wounded at Gravenstafel on October 4, 1917, and was subsequently invalided out of the army.' He resumed practice at. Hamilton in 1919, and moved to Auckland in 1920, joining thd firm of Fitchett and Rees three years later. Mr Luxford is a member of the General Trust Board of the Auckland Diocese, a member of the Visiting Committee to Rotaroa, and a member of the Executive of the Victorian League. He was the author of the official publication, “With the Machine Gunners in France and Palestine.”