THE CHIEF JUSTICESHIP.

New Zealand Graphic, 1 July 1899, Page 17

THE CHIEF JUSTICESHIP.

The appointment of Sir Robert Stout to the Chief Justiceship of the colony has met with approval throughout the colony. It is felt that there is no other man more fitted for the office, and none more deserving of the honour. Sir Robert was sworn in by Mr Justice Edwards on Saturday last, and commences his duties at once. The career of the new Chief Justice has been a distinguished one. Rising by sheer force of his own ability, he has in the comparatively narrow sphere of colonial life achieved no common success, and won a prominent place in the country. Sir Robert was born in Terniche, Shetland Isles, in 1844, and was educated at the parish school, where he became a pupil teacher. In 1563 he emigrated to New Zealand,

where he pursued his occupation as a schoolmaster in Dunedin. In 1867 he studied law, and passed as a barrister and solicitor in 1871. In the following year he entered the Provincial Council of Otago, and in 1873 was Provincial Solicitor. In 1875 Mr Stout was elected to the House of Representatives for Caversham, and became AttorneyGeneral in Sir George Grey’s administration in March, 1878, taking also the portfolio of Lands and Immigration in July. Sir George Grey went out of office in October, 1879, giving place to Mr (afterwards Sir John) Hall. In the previous June Mr Stout had resigned both his office and his seat : n the House of Representatives. He did not enter Parliament again until 1884, when he was elected M.H.R. for Dunedin. and joined with Sir Julius Vogel in forming the Stout-Vogel Ministry, in which he was Premier and Attor-ney-General and Minister of Education. Upon the defeat of this Government in October, 1887, Sir Robert Stout lost his seat in Parliament, and resumed legal practice. In 1893 he was returned for one of the Wellington seats, and sat through that Parliament ns a private member. At the next election he was re-elected to represent Wellington City, but resigned to devote himself to business. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1886. and is a Fellow of the N.Z. University. His energy is untiring. He originated and became President of the Otago Educational Institute. While engaged in other arduous pursuits he found time to write newspaper and magazine articles. and for a time carried on the literary and commercial departments of a weekly journal of very pronounced opinions by his own unaided efforts. His success at the Bar was equal to that in all other pursuits to which he turned his attention, and he gained a large and lucrative practice. Ceaselessly active, his name became a household word in

Otago. At one moment infusing life into the Dunedin Athenaeum, in which 'he took a great interest, at another lecturing; anon projecting an abstruse scientific magazine, or writing political articles in the interests of his party, his desire for work never seemed to be satiated. A strong advocate of teetotalism. one of the first uses he made of his position as member of the House was to introduce a Local Option Bill, which, however, was defeated. Well read, a fluent speaker, of clear and incisive intellect, with indomitable resolution, energy and self-reli-ance. he early showed himself to be one of t'hose men bound to force their way to eminence.