PRESENTATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6492, 11 April 1908, Page 9

PRESENTATION

MR ASHCROFT’S RETIREMENT. APPRECIATIVE REFERENCES. The legal profession of Wellington made a presentation yesterday of a cheque of sixty guineas to Mr James Ashcroft, late coroner and official, In the old Magistrates’ Court-room, Supreme Court buildings. About thirty members of the profession -.vein present. The Mayor, Hon. T. W. H'slop, presided. Mr Hislop said it would be generally agreed that Mr Ashcroft in hit capacity of Official Assignee and Coroner had, during his fifteen years’ administration of those offices, always carried, out his duties in a most obliging manner, and he had displayed much humanity towards the unfortunates who came under his charge. Eis recollection of Mr Ashcroft went back longer than he cared to remember—at least forty years. During that time Mr Ashcroft bad had a varied career, and had shown an extreme amount .of talent and always conducted his duties in a way that gave satisfaction to those with whom he became intimately connected, and in such a way as to please everybody. He expressed the appreciation of the legal profession of Mr Ashcroft’s services in the past, their, regret that he had left them,' and the hope that the remainder of his life Would be happy and peaceful. (Applause.) Mr H. D. Bell, K.C., president of thcNNow Zealand Law Society, on behalf of tho body he represented, said whatever Mr Ashcroft took in hand ho carried out to the best of his ability. He saw to it that the conduct of his business would be such that there should be no discredit to him or those associated with him, and that the best would be done for the private interests entrusted to him and for the public service he represented. (Applause.) Mr Ashcroft, in acknowledging tho gift, replied that it, was hardly possible for him to adequately express the gratification he felt, seeing the number of professional gentlemen who had left their business to express in such kind words their appreciation of his cervices. He had had twenty-four years cf official life, nine in Dunedin, and fifteen in connection with the Bankruptcy Act here, but that was by no means the length of his business life, for that dated back sixty-one years, commencing in London in 1847. Ho had spent a good many years in Oamaru and Dunedin before c-cm inti Wellington. It seemed to him an additional piece of generosity on the part of the professional gentlemen, inasmuch a a it had been one of his duties to keep a sharp oyo on them. (Laughter.) The bankruptcy business, no doubt, had fallen off srroatly during the last few years. In 1884 the bankruptcy oases in tho colony numbered 846: in 1904 they were 180. In the first seven years he held office the total number of bankruptcies, was 0030: in the second period of seven years they wore 8500, These decreases had been as ho had pointed out to the lato Mr Seddon, consistent with tho advent of the Liberal Ministry—OaughteaO-y-Jwith, of course, the general prosperity of the colony. During his term of office he had hold 1.150 inquests, and ho supposed that during "these, twenty-four years ho must have had 3000 bankruptcies under his supervision. His experience was that two-thirds of the bankruptcies were honest bankruptcies, amongst ■whom were all sorts of fools; the remainder, comprised a considerable number of rogues. His desire in the administration of his office had been to do justice. He was seventyfour years of age, and, .perhaps, could not hope tp live very much longer, but as long as he lived he should do-what ha. oould to be of use to his fellowcreatures and to employ himself in a profitable manner. He would always remember the kindliness with which they had met him that afternoon and the manner in which they had 1 spoken of him. (Applause.)