POPULAR MAGISTRATE

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1929, Page 2

POPULAR MAGISTRATE

•MR LUX FORD DEPARTS,

CUTEF JUSTTCE APPOINTMENT. Mr J. 11, Luxford, who won general esteem hy his able presidency as Magistrate on the Northern Circuit, left Whan garni by the noon express yesterday for Samoa, to take up his appointment, there as Chief Justice. The youngest son of Mr W. L. Luxford, a well known Manawatu resident, Mr J. H. Luxford was born at Palmerston North 39 years ago and commenced his education at the same centre, continuing it later at. the Wanganui College.

He was admitted to the Bar when only 22, joining up with Mr H. T. Gillies, of Te Awamutu, then Crown Prosecutor. From the end of the war until 1920 Mr Luxford was in active practice in Hamilton and the following year he came to Auckland and was in practice with the late Mr W, J. Napier.

At the outbreak of the war -Mr Luxford enlisted in the New Zealand Main Body, but owing to an injury he was posted to the machine gun instruction school at Treut'ham. At the end of 1915 he joined the New Zealand Division in Egypt and the following year he went to France. He fought in every engagement and was mentioned in despatches by the iato Earl Haig for gallantry at the first battle of the Somme, He was seriously wounded at Gravenstafel in 1917 and was subsequently invalided out of the army. He rose from lieutenant to. the rank of major.

In his younger days he was a representative Rugby player and a wellknown oarsman, '

He compiled the official history of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps which was published under the title of “With Machine Gunners in France and Palestine,” and which is a testimony to his ability as an author, Mr Luxford was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in February, 1928.