THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8398, 23 January 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.

MR J. E. DENNISTON APPOINTED

Wellington, January 21. Mr J. E. Deuuistou, of Duuediu, has been offered, aud accepted the judgeship. The Government received a telegram from him accepting the appointment at 2.20 p.m. this afternoon.

(Froji Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington', January 21. The news having been telegraphed last night that a Dunedin paper had announced the appointment of MrJ. E. Denniston us judge, the Government to-day officially admitted the correctness of the statement. It had been intended to delay the disclosure until the current sessions of the Supreme Court should have ended, but as the stcrefc had leaked out there v:as no use in preserving further reticence There is no doubt that the judgeship was ottered to Mr Bsll, and that at one timo the Government believed him to intend accepting it but he is said to have thought better of it! Later, at any rate, ho declined it. I have the authority of Mr Travers for stating that it was never olfered to him, possibly because it was known he would not take it at his advanced age. The appointment of Mr D^nuistou seems to meet with fair approval generally.

Mr John Edward Denniston was born in 1815 at Bishoptou, near Glasgow. He was educated partly at Glasgow aud at Grecnock Academies and at the boarding school of Blair Lodge, near I'alkirk ; after which he completed his education at Glasgow University. His school career was a brilliant one, and iv his last year at Greenock Academy he was gold medallist as best scholar in classics aud mathematics. At Glasgow University he gained a valuable schohtrshipopeu toall students from the populous counties of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire. At college he commenced to study for the bar, but was interrupted by his leaving for Now Zealand in company with his father (Mr Thomas Denniston of Invercargill) and brothers, ia 1862. He entered the civil service on reaching the colony, serving in the Post Office department at luvercargill for some time under Mr E. D. Butts, the present chief postmaster in Dunedin, and afterwards in Christchurch. He left the public service for that of the Bank of New South Wales. During the six years of his career iv the bank he again took up his law studies, and obtained a position m the office of Mr W. D. Stewart, solicitor, iust vacated by Mr (now Sir Robert) Stout. After completing his examination Mr Denuiston joined Blr George Hutchison in practice at Wanganui for a few mouths, but afterwards joined Mr Stewart in Duuedin as a partner, Mr Allan Holmes shortly afterwards also joining the firm. On the opening of the Otago University Blr Denniston attended the Latin and Mental Philosophy classes, becoming a prizeman iv both.

His career at the bar in Dunedin is so well known that it is scarcely necessary to refer to it. He has held briefs in a number of important cases, including the celebrated Hall case, where he was associated with Mr F. R. Chapman for the defence. Mr Denuistou was married in 1877 to a daughter of the late Hon. John Bathgate.