TRIBUTES IN THE COURTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 11

TRIBUTES IN THE COURTS.

Upon ?ilr IS. H. O-rew, S.M., taking his seat on lh«> bench at the Hagi"vt-.-&te's Couri; on the 2nd, oppartunity — the e<irliesi, — wa=s fc«kon by the lesjai profession, through, the president of the Otago Law Society (Mr J. F. M. Fraser) to pay thoir tribute of respect to the nvmory of tho late Mr B. C. Haggitt. Besides Mr Eraser the members o£ the profession present were : — Messrs F. R. Chapman, J. H. Hosking, P. Duncan, F. J S illing, A. BatW&te, A. Holmes. J. R. Sinclair, A. A. FiuehT W. D. Milne, D. Reid, jun., W. O. M&tGregor, A. James, J. F. Woodh'iuge, A. C. Hanlon, F. Calverfc, C. M. Mod at, C. R. Chapman, H. B-ron, D. Cooke, W. Allan, F. Z. Moors, A. B. litftseoigne, and J. G. Stuart, all of "whom reKiained standing dusing the proceedings.

Mr Fkasbr eaid : S:r, — The bar have assembled here this isiornicg for the purpose of expressing through myefclf, aB president of the Law Society, our deep regret at tiie loss the profession hays sustained in the death of Mr B. O. Haggitt, Grown prosecuto". Y-ju know fully as well ss any member of the profession that Mr Haggitt for the l&Bt 30 years has discharged the duties of Crown prosecutor in this provincial district. I only voice the common sentiment when I say thab he discharged the delicate functions appertaining to that office with conspicuous ability and wHh scrupulous fairness, never straining after a conviction, but at the same time never omitting any facts that properly pointed to the guilt of the accused. Sir, there ia no necessity for me to dvrell long upas this painful subject, for the press, both morning and evening, have paid graceful and just tribute to the memory of our late professional brother, but ib is fitting thab ■me. .should thus publ'cly place on record our ap »reciation of the loss we have sustained. It is commonly known that Mr Haggitt had had afforded him, on one occasion at least, an opportunity of occupying a seat on the Supreme

Coarb bench — a position which, had he accepted it, he would have filled with credit alike to himself and to the community. It only.remains for me,«sir, to record o»r deep cjnvictian chat in tht) death of Mr Hagrgit.t we have Dot only loßb an ornament of our profession, but one who has worthily fulfilled his high traditions, leaving behiad him an unblemished record of a, long professional lifetime We also desire to publicly express our oeep and genuine sympathy with his wife and family ia their jiraaenc hr.ur of bitter trial and sffl ction. I cuu'.d speak fur a considerable lenfjtb of <-im' i e-ilivrgin« Uj«o« Mr HaggiU's many estimable qualifies, but the public know thf ra as well as I do. I propose, therefore, simply to coneSu<3e these few remark 3 by saying that I feel certain you will appreciate our action in coming bf-fore you and recording our sense of fch« loss the l^g-il profession and the public have sustained by the death of Mr B. C. Hi ff «;itr. Xiia VVoxsh'p : There ia iiothiug I can add myseU' to. the feeling remarks of Mr Fraser, but I cao. testify to the very careful manner ia which Mr Haggitb always conducted cases ia this court, his fairness when prosecuting for the Ccown, and the great assistance he haa b*en iv putting the facts and law bearing upoa the cases he was dealing with clearly before tha bench. I wish also to say that in my opinion Mr Haggitt; afforded an excellent example to tho junior members of the bar by his unfailing courtesy at all times.

Other members of the profession, including tha Hon. J. MaxG«-g->r, the Hon. W. D. Stewart, Messrs W. A. Sim, S. Salomon, J. M. Gtll&way, and J. Wilkinson, were by their pro r eßsional engagements — 3ome of them being O'lft of town — prevente I from being present. Some 21 members of the Commission of tha Peace gathered in the Police Court yesterday before the formal business of the day was prooseded with to give utteranoa to a mark of thei? respect an<i esteem for the late Mr B. C Haggitt (Crown prosecutor), and their Bympathy for Mrs Haggitb and the deceased gentlem^a's family. Tha justices present were : — Messrs G. Fenwick, R Wilson, G. L. Denni-iton, G. P. Farqabur, M. Cohen, B. C. Reynolds, R Caißholm, A Salomon, T. Ros*, J T. Ross, L. Mendelsohn, P. G. Prydp, W. Wills, H. S. Valentine, A Judge, A. Hsrtlman, D. H. Hastings, J. Haziest, F. H. Morics, D. L^rnach, and D. Baxter.

Mr Gtsorge Fenwick acted as spokesman, and said : Before the formal busiaess of the c-jurt is commenced, I hare beeu a»ksd to *ay a few words in token of the deep sympathy entertained by the justices who attend this court towards the family of the late Mr Haggitl. Mr Haggitt has lived ia this community now for about -37 years, and during thab long period has endeared himself to all who have been brought into contact with him. Nob only the legal profession but the community ab Inrge have suffered grievous lo«s by Mr Haggitt'a deith. Many of us have known him since the first day he came to Dnnedio, and invariably throughout his long career he has displayed all those qualities of mind which endear maa ta m&n. In the obituary notices which have .ulready appeared Mr Haggitt's characteristics have been set forth, aud those who knew him when he was al ye will recognise that no mora than whab was due to him has been said. He has been, daring his long csrear as a practising counsel in the courts of Duaedm, recognised as a man who invariably displayed tho utmost fairness in his conduct o[ the c*ses in which he has been engaged. H*s has occupied m*uy public positions, not so aiuch of late years as in the 'time when Obago was a province. As Provincial BoliciLur &n f 1 as a member of the Provincial Council jv Wi.3 rtfCugniaod a<3 being posse-iseil of great a! ilifcy and worth, and I cau only fay th4t wh 'ii we have eai; as jurfticvß, and have b&°n brought into contfccfc with him oiScic.iiy, we reoogci«sci his true and great valae U> !. ; "c cummnuiiy. I am quite Bare my fellow justices c«c«hain the greatest sympathy towsrrs hi-i f--m:ly, and w<3 all feel that tha ciry has sustained a l'.;Bs which will not> ea.sily ba retrieved.