OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20500, 30 August 1928, Page 10

OBITUARY

SIR WILLIAM SIM

PASSING OF DISTINGUISHED

JUDGE.

News of the death of Sir William Sim, perhaps the best known of the present members of the judicial Bench in the Dominion, which occurred in Wellington last night with startling suddenness will be received with a shock by the community generally, mid by the members of the legal profession m particular. During the illnea of Sir Charles Skerrett, Mr Justice Sim ( in the capacity of acting Chief Justice, bas been picsiding over the sessions of the Supreme Court in Wellington, and bis presence in that city when he was overtaken by death wa s in fulfilment of the duties pertaining to hi s temporary office. Prior to his departure for Wellington recently to act in the stead of the Chief Justice, .Sir William Sira found it necessary to obtain medical advice, and it was then ascertained that he was suffering from a valvular affection of the heart; but the trouble was ntM regarded as being of a serious nature. During his stay in V ellingtoii Sir William Sim had not felt well, and it was on this account that his intention to leave the northern city for Dunedin last night was abandoned after hi s plans had been made. . Sir William Alexander Sim was born at Wanganui in 1850. He received his education at the Wanganui Grammar School, and in 1872 he was articled to Mr Charles Holmes Borlase. Completing the whole of his law examinations by the early age of 19 years, he came to Dunedin in 1878 and a year later he was admitted as a barrister of the Supremo Court by Mr Justice Williams. After serving in several; law offices he became a member of the firm of Messrs Stout, Mondy, and Sim, and was in practice In Dunedin until 1907. Sir William Sim wa s chairman of the first Conciliation Board that was set up in Otago under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act—a conciliation board that was generally regarded ns a pattern for all the other boards in New Zealand. In 1907 he was appointed judge of the Arbitration Court, and two years later he became a temporary judge of the Supreme Court, the appointment being made permanent in 1911. At the end of 1913, when Sir Joshua Williams retired, he undertook the work of the judicial districts of Otago and Southland, and he retained this position until ills death. From 1923 to 1925 he occupied the post of president of the Taxation Commission, which carried out an exhaustive investigation of the incidence of taxation in the Dominion, and presented a voluminous report.

In 1024 Sir William Sim received the well-merited honour of knighthood.

Despite the onerous nature of his duties on the Bench, Sir William Sim found time to take an active part in many public activities. With the late Dr Brown he was one of the founders of the Cremation Society, of which he later became president; ho was a trustee of the Dunedin Art Gallery Society and, in addition to being chairman of the Prisons Board, he took a keen interest in the Work of the Patients and Prisoners’ Aid Society. As a barrister he was noted for the ability and thoroughness with which he handled any case in which he was engaged, and ho was recognised by his Colleagues as one of the foremost authorities on law of his time. Perhaps the most notable case in which he took part as a barrister was that of Mills v. Isaac, in 1903, in which he was associated with Sir Frederick Chapman and the late Sir John Hoskiitg. What is generally considered one of his greatest triumphs on the judicial Bench was his vindication by the Privy Council of the House of Lords in respect to his judgment in the well-remembered case of the Crown v. Distributors, Ltd.

Sir William Sim is survived by his widow, three sons (one of whom is Mr J. A. Sim, solicitor, of this city) and a daughter.

Mlt CHARGES RITCHIE HOWDEN.

(Srj;ciAL to Daily Times.) Auckland, August 20. A sponsor of golf in New Zealand 60 years ago, and a well-known figure in the commercial circles in Dunedin for many years, Mr Charles Kitchio Howdcn, died in Auckland yesterday at the age of 00 years. Mr Howdeu was born in Edinburgh, and was educated at the Royal Academy, his father being a merchant in the Scottish city. He come to New Zealand at the age of 23, and spent some time on sheep runs in Otago. Later ho entered the wine and spirit business in Dunedin, and during Sir Julius Vogel's Government he started the Now Zealand Distillery Company, a firm which flourished for several years, until it was dosed by legislation, which provided for the payment of compensation. Mr Howden was interested in sheep-forming in South Canterbury for i time. In 1867 he married the only daughter of the hits Captain Fraser, M.U.C., of Dunedin. Shortly afterwards he introduced golf into Dunedin, and founded rhe Otago Golf Club. The game had a small fol!jwing during the ’seventies and 'eighties. Another brothV tinplate Mr D. 15. Howden, who died last year, founded a dub in Wclli t ton. In 1881 Mr Howden returned to Great Britain with his family, and remained there for some years, his wife dying there about 42 years ago. In 1881) he returned to New Zealand to establish, with a partner, an agency in Dunedin for the Royal Exchange Assurance Company. He retired from business about 30 years ago, following golf keenly for sonic time afterwards. His last appearance on the links was at Middlemen: during n visit to Auckland in 1910. He was a life member of the Otago Golf Club. Three years ago he came to reside in Auckland. There is a family of five sons: Messrs A. M. Howden. of'Milford : T. F. Howden. of Australia; Dr I'. M. nlowden, of Palmerston; and Dr C. E. Howden, of Wainku; and two daughters—Mosdames 11. D. Stronach, of Dunedin, and J. C. Sinimonds, of Auckland. There arc 23 grandchildren.