MR HASELDEN, S.M.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4978, 30 May 1903, Page 6

MR HASELDEN, S.M.

PRESENTATION OF AN ADDRESS.

Yesterday morning Mr IV. R. Hasolden, S.M., was tho recipient ot a presentation, on tho occasion of his permanent transfer to Christchurch. Iho token of goodwill and esteem tendered 1 by tho Justices of the Peace took tho form of an illuminated address. Tho Mayor (.Mr J. G. W. Aitkcn. M.M.K.), presided, and was supported liy Mr Thos. Dwan, secretary to the Rrcsontation Committee, to whoso efforts tho success of tho movement was largely due. The other Magistrates present were;—Messrs Lnckic. A. A. Harnett, J. Godber, G. Winder, W. Hildreth, J. Young, R. Ta-it, W. Mathews, T. G. Macarthy and G. S. Lambert. Letters of apology were received from about twenty other Justices, who woro unable to bo present In eulogistic speeches Air Dwan and the Mayor ■ introduced- tho business, lor which they had assembled. Roth gentlemen paid tributes to Air Hasoldoil’s invariable courtesy, legal acumen and popularity, with all classes of the communiUi/,' and oxjircssod the hope' that ho might enjoy many years of health and prosperity m tho now sphere to which he had been called. Tho address was then read by th* Mayor. It sot forth tho regret with which the signatories • lost the service* of one so popular and eminently capable of administering tho law. They recognised that notwithstanding tho great volume of judicial business he had been called, upon to deal with, it had been dealt with in tho highest spirit of justice and tho dignity ot tho Court had been maintained, as well as courtesy to those appearing before it. By his kind, gonial and thoughtful demeanour he had not only endeared himself to the general public, but bad enlisted their sympathies in a most prononhood manner. They had.ever found him a “juris oonsultus’’ ready to advise them on x>oints of law not clear, according to their undo."standing. In. conclusion, tliey wished him every''success in his new sphere of usefulness, and hoped that ho and his family might ever enjoy tho comforts of life in a most oininbnt degree. _ Complimentary references to Mr Haselden were also made by Aleesrs Luckio, Barnett and Godber.

Mr Hasdden, in reply, thanked tbo Mayor and tho other speakers for their kind expressions in his regard. Ho felt , indeed that it was a pay day for him, and that in some respects ho had boon overpaid. Tho recognition of his work by those best capable of judging was really tho best reward any man.could get. It was quite"a new thing to him to find that as a Magistrate, ho was popular, because that was not a particular attribute ho sought after. Ho did not desire to bo known as a popular Magistrate; be very much preferred the reputation of Dr Temple whoa master at Et<fn, and of whom, it was said by a pupil that although “ho was a beast, be was a just beast.” (Applause). He thanked his brother Magistrates for the assistance they bad given him during the four years hq had been Stipendiary Magstrate in Wellington. It was nearly fourteen years since he had settled in AVellington, and tho opinion ho had then formed of tho city, its pro-, gross and development, and its destiny to bo the greatest city in New Zealand, was borne out to-day. Wellington was entering upon a career of development ■ and progress, and that formed tho real ■ ;regret ■at his leaving. He felt ho did not deserve their reference to the assistance ho had always afforded to hi» brother Justices. Tho willingness had always been there, but the instances in which it was asked for had been very few; He believed there were very many cases better dealt with by Justices than by Stipendiary Magistrates-—such as truancy, by-law cases, cruelty to animals cases, and others of the kind which, particularly affected tho social, conditions of the people, and were not directed so much against the ordinary criminal classes. While "a Magistrate in Weilingtou ho had endeavoured to maintain the honour and dignity of the Court, and notwithstanding all sneers at such an attempt, he firmly believed a Court deteriorated where honour and dignity n ere not consMcre.d essentials. He believed a Magistrate should have a high ideal of the functions of the Judicial Bench. It was, to his mind, the most divi.ua duty that could bo given a man. and he believed that as a man discharged his duty on the Bench, so would ho have to answer to his Creator. In conclusion, the speaker paid a tribute to tho thief clerk and other officers of the Court, as well as to the police. Ho also mentioned that ho had received a complimentary letter from the Socialy for the Protection of Women and Children. He wished his brother a gist rales good-byo and the best of health'aiid prosperity, and to.their city all the success he had foreshadowed for it in former years. (Applause.) He also thanked Mr Dwan for tho trouble he had taken in connection with f-.e presentation. A vote of thanks to the Mayor concluded the proceedings.