WHAT IS AN ESQUIRE?

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22481, 27 July 1936, Page 12

WHAT IS AN ESQUIRE?

Sir, —This question was asked in the House on Thursday by Mr. J. A. Lee, and although he did not answer it del finitely he illustrated a common applj. cation to a man who buys a motor-car on time payment, but when he defaults he is addressed by a different title. The New Zealand Justices' Quarterly stated some years ago that a justice of the peace is entitled to be thus addressed, but it gave no reason. A possible explanation appeared in a London paper last year, stating that the word came from a French titfe meaning "Deputy," and that when anyone received the King's Commissi* he had the title of Esquire by ag Deputy for the King, but that in the case of a military commission, "To our trusty and well-beloved John Brown, gentleman, greeting," it did not carry the right to Esquire until the officer was promoted to the rank of captain. The article added that, contrary to common belief, a barrister was not entitled to be addressed as esquire, for at no stage did he receive his . advancement from the King. This point' was carried a little further at tie annual conference of the Federation of New Zealand Justices' Associations in Wellington last March, when the Under-Secretary for Justice, in his welcoming address, reminded the justice* that they held "an ancient and honourable office," and that by a Statute of King Edward 111., over 600 yean ago, all appointments to the Commission of the. Peace were vested in the King, the Statute prescribing the appointment of "men of the best reputation in the counties." Mr. Justice Ostler-further described the develop, ment of the office and its jurisdiction, without introducing Mr. Lee's point, and now that the question has been raised perhaps some legal luminary rtl explain where the title of esquire is a right and where it is merely a courtesy; J.P,