NEW MAGISTRATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20983, 11 March 1938, Page 7

NEW MAGISTRATE

MR R. C. ABERNETHY APPOINTED Mr Rex. C. Abernethy, of Christchurch, has been appointed a Stipendiary Magistrate, with headquarters at Invercargill. He will replace Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., who will be transferred from Invercargill to the South Auckland district, with headquarters at Hamilton. Before going to Invercargill, Mr Abernethy will serve on the Magistrate's Court Bench in Wellington for a brief period. Mr Abernethy has been in practice in Christchurch as a barrister and solicitor since 1923. He was born in Gore 47 years ago, his father being the Rev. Christopher Abernethy, formerly of Christchurch and Auckland. Educated at the Christchurch Boys’ High School and Canterbury University College, Mr Abernethy entered the teaching profession before studying law, being an assistant master at the East Christchurch School. For three years from 1920 to 1923, he was a law clerk with Messrs Duncan, Cotterlll, and Company, of Christchurch, leaving their employ to practise on his own account. Mr Abernethy had a distinguished military career. He served with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade in France in 1916 and 1917, and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at Messines. In 1917 he was elected with the first batch of six officers from the New Zealand Division for service with the Indian Army. He was attached to the 120th Rajputar.a Infantry on the North-West Frontier at Kohat, and in South Persia in 1918, and early in 1919. When he was demobilised he was Captain and Adjutant of the Regimental Depot. Mr Abernethy’s main sporting interests are in tennis and golf. In 1914 he gained a New Zealand Uni-

versity tennis blue, he and his partner winning the doubles championship. Twice he was runner-up in the Christchurch Golf Club’s senior championship. He is a past-president of the Christchurch High School Old Boys’ Association. For some months he was chairman of the North Canterbury Mortgage Adjustment Commission, acting in this capacity during the illness of the usual chairman, Mr J. R. Cunningham.