MR R. CLINTON HUGHES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 17 November 1925, Page 10

MR R. CLINTON HUGHES.

EARLY SOUTH TARANAKI. THE COURT AND THE LAW. The oldest solicitor practising rn Taranaki is Mr. R. Clinton Hughes, of New Plymouth, who recently celebrated the flfty-fifth anniversary of his practising as a solicitor, and his recollections are especially interesting to people of this district because in the early seventies he used regularly to visit South Taranaki, travelling down on horseback by the old coastal route. When he flrst qualified, he combined an office in Patea —the late Captain James Hirst was his agent —for business at that court, and he went down at monthly intervals. Hawera in those days was practically non-existent, just a small cluster oi houses, under the shelter of the blockhouse and hardly any roads through the fern and scrub.

Mr. Hughes has one amusing recollection amongst many memories of the work of the court of those days. The magistrate, Major Turner, a keen soldier, used to hold Ms monthly drills on court day. On one occasion he had adjourned the court and was at the door about to proceed A\-ith his drill when Mr. Hughes called his attention to the fact that one case had not been heard. Without resuming Ms seat he asked. “What is it about?” After a word of explanation from Mr. Hughes, he asked where was the defendant. The latter came forward. ‘ ‘ What have you got to say?” he asked. The defendant mumbled a few words. “Oh,” said the major, “judgment for plaintiff!” and proceeded to take Ms drill on the parade ground. On another occasion Mr. Hughes had to appear in New Plymouth in proceedings in the District Court on a motion to upset certain settlements made by a bankrupt firm. The case Avas set down for hearing for a Thursday. Business at Patea detained him there the Avhole of Tuesday when he ought to ha\ r e been on his way to New Plymouth, a hundred miles distant by the coast. On Wednesday Mr. Hughes left Patea about nine o’clock. He called at Mr. Ball’s farm at Kakaramea to get a horse for a NeAV Plymouth friend and leave his own. On the way to Ivakaramea he met Mr. Ball, who said the horse to be taken would be found in the stockyard. Mr. Hughes selected one of the two horses there and saddled it -and proceeded to Hawera,. which he reached about mid-day. While there he discovered that instead of a gelding he had brought away a mare. NotMng remained but to take it back to Mr. Ball’s, fifteen miles distant, thus adding 30 miles to his journey, making it 130. ■lt was about five o ’clock when he got back to Hawera. There he got tea, picked up his client, Mr. Quentin Muir, the trustee of the estate, and they started off. They reached Opunake about eleven, got some supper and went forward. Mr. Hughes’ horse, just off the grass, became sluggish and finally went slightly lame. However, he got to New Plymouth about 8.30 a.m., had a bath and breakfast and was in court at 10 a.m. Here he was on his feet m a very lengthy examination of the bankrupt ’s affairs until five o ’clock.

These few recollections will be read Avith interest, it is felt sure, by any old colonists Avho recall the times and the people mentioned, and will be valuable as a historical record of events of those early days by one who took part in them.

Mr. Hughes, though well o\mr the allotted span of life, is still hale and well, and maintains his interest in current events as keen as ever. He is still in practice and a worker in many good causes. He is president of the Beautifying Society, and of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and a member of the Pukekura Park Board, of which he is the founder. His is a life which proves that a man keeps young by conserving his interest in current events and living in the present, Avith a keen memory for the events of the past in which also he took an active part.