JUDGE TO RETIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 10 March 1933, Page 7

JUDGE TO RETIRE

MR. JUSTICE MACGREGOR. LONG PUBLIC SERVICE. After nearly ten years on the Supreme Court Bench Mr. Justice MacGregor’ will retire next month. His Honour, who is in his 71st year, is a Scotsman by birth, but a New Zealander by residence for more than half a century. Mr. Justice MacGregor was bom at Paisley, his father being the Rev. Dr. James MacGregor, who was professor of systematic theology at New College, Edinburgh, until he came to New Zealand and 1 settled at Oamaru. The future Judge attended Watson’s College, Edinburgh, and was pursuing his studies at Edinburgh University when his health gave cause for anxiety. In 1881 he arrived at Dunedin and entered the office of Messrs. Stewart and Denniston, solicitors. Two years later he passed his final law examination at the University of Otago, taking first place for the whole of New Zealand and being awarded the Canterbury Law Society’s gold medal. About 1890 Mr. MacGregor set up in practice on his own account in Dunedin, and for many years was solicitor to the City Council. In 1898 he was president of the Otago Law Society. Five years later, on the appointment of Mr. F. R. (now Sir Frederick) Chapman to tire Bench, he joined the firm thereafter known as Smith, MacGregor and Sinclair. His official career began in 1914, when he was appointed Crown solicitor in Dunedin and a K.C. In 1920 he went to Wellington as Solicitor-General, which position he held until his elevation to the Bench in September, 1923. As a barrister Mr. Justice MacGregor was a frequent contributor to tire Press in New Zealand and Britain. He was long associated with the Round Table movement, and published “Ideals of Empire” in 1908. He attained some note as a cricketer and footballer in the ’eighties, and later took up golf, winning the Otago Club’s championship in 1898. His Honour has sat in New Plymouth on many occasions, but the greater part of his judicial service has been performed in the Wellington district.