SUPREME COURT BENCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12426, 15 February 1901, Page 2

SUPREME COURT BENCH.

AIR COOPER ACCEPTS APPOINTMENT. . [Pee Peess Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 14. Air Theo. Cooper has accepted; the appointment of Judge of the Supreme’ Court and President- of the Arbitration Court. [Fkoji Ouk Cokrkseondents.J AUCKLAND, Feb. 14. ■ Air Cooper is one of the leading members of the legal profession, and is considered eminently fitted to hold a position on the judicial bench. He- ha« the reputation of being a logical and forcible debater, and a man of judicial mind and great industry. Before entering the legal profession he was employed from 1865 to 1860 in the “ Daily Southern Cross” office as reader's boy and compositor. He entered the office of Mr J. B. Russell, a barrister, and w - as articled to 1873. A short time afterwards Air A. E. Devore joined Air Bussell, and the firm of Russell and Devore was established. Between 1873 and 1878 Air Cooper, had charge of the common law department, and in the latter - year he was admitted as - -a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. - Within a few months he became a member of the firm. In 1883 the partnership was dissolved, and the present firm,of Devore and Cooper commenced business'. Air Cooper has been one of the recognised leaders of tile bar iu Auckland, and during the past ten or twelve years has regularly attended the sittings of the Court of Appeal in Wellington. As counsel in most of the more important Supreme Count cases in Auckland during the last fifteen years, Air Cooper has held briefs, besides having carried on a very large criminal practice, and meeting with” a success that has attended but few other counsel in the colony. He was one of the counsel in the case arising out of the first appointment of Air Justice Edwards, and also for the Alidland Railway arbitration before the Hon Edward Blake. He acted us leading counsel for the Bank of New Zealand in the proceedings before the Banking Committee in .1897 (extending over a period of three months), and for the Hon J. G. Ward in the Awarua election case. In con junction with the Hon J. Tole, Air Cooper appealed as prosecuting counsel in the Scott murder case. For the past ten years Air Cooper Has been Honorary Deputy-Inspector of Lunatic Asylums for the colony, for fifteen years he has been a member of the Auckland Education Board, and he has.been a.member of the Council of the New Zealand Law Society, from its formation, a member of the Council of the Auckland Law Society for a number of years, and one of the Council of the Law Reporting Society of New Zealand. These positions he will vacate. WELLINGTON, Feb. 14. The “New Zealand Times” warmly eulogises Mr Theo. Cooper this morning. I have just met an Auckland friend of the new Judge, and he is well pleased with the eulogy. , Amongst other things which he. told me, was that the only recreation the new Judge had ever taken was chess. When fatigued with a law problem, he indulged in a hard game, and it braced him up. DUNEDIN, Feb. 14.

When Mr Justice Edwards was appointed to the Bench, the 'Premier gave a distinct pledge to Air Lawry and the other Auckland members of Parliament, who had been promoting the candidature of Air Theo. ’Cooper, that the latter should get the next vacancy. - -