NEW KING’S COUNSEL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 31 January 1936, Page 3

NEW KING’S COUNSEL

MR P. B. COOKE APPOINTED YOUNGEST DOMINION BARRISTER TO TAKE SILK (By Telegraph—Pross Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. It was announced by the. AttorneyGeneral (the Hon. 11. G. R. Mason) yesterday, that His Excellency the Gover-nor-General (Viscount Galway) had appointed Mr P. B. Cooke, barrister, of Wellington, a Kinir’s Counsel. A representative gathering of the legal profession attended the Supreme Court yesterday when Mr Cooke received from the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) his Letters Patent as King’s Counsel.

Born in Palmerston North 42 years ago, Mr Cooke lias the distinction of being the youngest barrister in Now Zealand to have taken silk. is also, in all probability, tlie first King’s Counsel to be appointed in the British Empire during the reign of King Edward VIII.

Mr Cooke received his early education at Huntley School, Marton, and Wanganui Collegiate School, where, in 1909, he won a Senior National Scholarship. He attended Victoria University College in 1910, and in 1912 he obtained his LL.B. degree. In December, 1912, Mr Cooke became associate to the then Chief Justice, the late Sir Robert Stout. He held that position until December, 1913, when lie joined the staff of Chapman, Skerrett, Tripp and Blair. At that time the late Sir (then Mr) Charles Skerrett was head of the firm. Mr Cooke remained with the firm until October, 1915, when, as a second lieutenant in the New Zealand Divisional Signal Company, lie left for the war. He served with distinction in Egypt and France, gaining the Military Cross and attaining the rank of temporary major. Returning to New Zealand in 1919, Mr Cooke rejoined his old firm and was admitted to partnership. Follow-, ing the elevation to the Supreme Court Bench of Mr Skerrett, who became Chief Justice, and also of Mr A. W. Blair, Mr Cooke became a senior member of the firm of Chapman, Tripp, Cooke and Watson. In recent years Mr Cooke has taken a prominent part in the affairs of the New Zealand Law Society. For tlie past two years he has represented the Marlborough District Law Society on the Council of the New Zealand Law Society, and he has represented the latter society on the Rules Committee constituted under the Judicature Act. He also holds tlie position of Revising Barrister, under the Building Societies Act, for the Wellington district.

Although his legal responsibilities have occupied a great deal of Mr Cooke, s time, lie has always taken a keen interest in sport. He was a member of the Wellington Golf Club from 1920 to 1925 and during those years represented the club in competition matches. He was also a member of the committee of the club. Mr Cocke is a keen tennis and badminton player. He is president of the Thorndon Lawn Tennis Club, and president of the Wellington Badminton Association.

Tn 1924 Mr Cooke married Valmai Digby Gore, only daughter of the late Mr and Mrs 11. M. Gore, of Hobson Crescent.