LONDON MAGISTRATE RETIRES

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1929, Page 1

LONDON MAGISTRATE RETIRES

i • » MR FREDERICK MEAD. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 26. ’ A ivotable iigure of London life is passing into retirement in the person of Mr Frederick Mead, Magistrate’ at the Marlborough Street' Police Court. jMr Mead had intimated to the Home Office his intention of vacating his Magistracy this week, and to-morrow he will sit at the Court for the last time.

Mr Mead is eighty-two years of age .and is the oldest occupant of any chair of justice in the country. He was called to the Bar sixty years ago, and forty years have passed since lie became Magistrate at the Marlborough. Street Court,, and in .that long period thousands of offenders of every •type and every nationality have come before him for judgement. The Marlborough Street Police Court has to deal with crime in a part of the West End of London which has ■a; notably/ .cosmopolitan population. Mr Mead has 1 always been distinguished for life remarkable physical and mental alertness in dealing with the difficult cases which arise among this kind of population, and, although in the course of his long tenure of office many of his judgements have been criticised on the ground of their severity; he will always bo remembered as one of London’s most able Magistrates.