New Chief Justice Appointed for Samoa

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 656, 7 May 1929, Page 1

New Chief Justice Appointed for Samoa

MR. J. H. LUXFORD, S.M. TO LEAVE THIS MONTH Press Association WHANGAREI, To-day. Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., Whangarei, lias been appointed Chief Justice at Samoa. He will probably leave New Zealand at the end of this month. The youngest son of Mr. W. L. Luxford, a well-known Manawatu resident,

—Schmidt, Photo Mr. J. Luxford was born at Palmerston North 39 years ago and commenced his education at the same centre, continur ing it later at the Wanganui College. He was admitted to the Bar when only 22, joining up with Mr. H. T. Gillies, of To Awamutu, then Crown Prosecutor. From the end of the war until 1920 Mr. Luxford was in active practice in Hamilton and the following year he came to Auckland and was in practice with the late Mr. W. J. Napier. At the outbreak of the war Mr. Luxford enlisted in the New Zealand Main Body but owing to an injury he was posted to the machine gun instruction school at Trentham. At the end of 1915 he joined the New Zealand Division in Egypt and the following year lie went to France. He fought in every engagement and was mentioned in despatches by the late Earl Haig for gallantry at the first battle of the Somme. He was seriously wounded at Gravenstafel in 1917 and was subsequently invalided out of the army. He rose from lieutenant to the rank of major. In his younger days he was a representative Rugby player and a wellknown oarsman. He compiled the official history of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps which was published under the title of “With Machine Gunners in France and Palestine,” and which is a testimony to his ability as an author. Mr. Luxford was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in February, 1928.