Football and Hockey Contests between Returned Soldiers and Otago Representatives form feature of Peace Celebration

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1528, 7 August 1919, Page 38

Football and Hockey Contests between Returned Soldiers and Otago Representatives form feature of Peace Celebration

During the last days of the voyage of the transport Briton, the opportunity was taken to make a presentation to the popular chief steward, Mr. D. H. Legg. The presentation was made on behalf of the officers, n.c.o.’s. and men of the New Zealand soldiers aboard to mark their appreciation of his efforts on behalf of all the troops. The presentation took the form of an illuminated address, which was presented by Captain H. Richards, 0.8. E., the ship’s quartermaster. The death of Sir John Denniston (says the Christchurch “Sun” editorially) removes one who was in many ways our city’s most distinguished personality. The deceased was very much more than a Judge—than a great Judge. He was a patriot in the only useful sense of the word, and a humanitarian of a type that sentimentalists can never copy. Rut > less in detecting and exposing all brands of humbug, he was nevei’ without mercy for the victim of circumstances —for the man or woman, rich or poor, whose sins were in a sense inevitable. That means, of course, that his mind was capacious enough to hold the whole human tragedy. Little men see no difference in crimes and criminals but the difference defined by law; the late Judge saw the human lights and shades. To say that he tempered justice with mercy is to utter a platitude that means very little these days; but it may mean something to remark that he was big enough always, though so few judges are, to reconcile the letter with the spirit of the law.