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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Legal

Legal.

The Law Courts in Blenheim are domiciled in the Government Buildings, which are referred to in an article in the section devoted to Government institutions. Usually, three Supreme Court sessions are held during the year, and are presided over by Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout. The Registrar of the Supreme Court is Mr. T. Scott-Smith, Stipendiary Magistrate, and Mr. R. McCallum is the Crown Prosecntor. In the Magistrate's Court civil business is taken every Friday morning, and police cases when necessary. Mr. T. Scott-Smith is the Stipendiarv Magistrate, and J. Terry, the Clerk of the Court. In 1857, Dr. Muller was transferred from Nelson to Blenheim, where he was appointed Resident Magistrate, and administered the law until 1878, when he retired into private life. He was followed, successively, by Messrs Stuart, Turnbull, Allen, Dr. McArthur, and Mr. T. Scott-Smith.

Mr. Thomas Scott-Smith was appointed Stipendiary Magistrate at Blenheim, in November, 1902. He was born in Forfarshire. Scotland, where his father was a large sheepfarmer. Mr. Scott-Smith was educated at Dundee Academy, and studied at Edinburgh University, with a view to entering the legal profession. After his admission to the bar, he went to India, where he practised for some years at Calcutta. Rangoon, and Basim in British Burma. He came to New Zealand in the year 1884, was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, and was engaged in private practice until 1902. In 1885, Mr. Scott-Smith published a digest of legal cases tried in New Zealand, which is still extensively used by the profession. He is Registrar of the Supreme Court, District Land Registrar, Coroner, Examiner of Titles, Official Member of the Maori Council, and Warden of the Goldfields for Marlborough.

Baillie, W. G. H., Barrister and Solicitor, High Street, Blenheim. Established 1899. Bankers, Bank of New South Walos. Wellington Agents, Messrs Brown and Dean, solicitors, 5 Lambton Quay. Mr. Baillie was admitted on the 9th of April, 1897, by Chief Justice Sir James Prendergast. He was born on the 11th of May, 1867, and is a son of the Hon. Captain W. D. H. Baillie, M.L.C., referred to elsewhere in this volume, and also a page 96 of the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia. After being educated at Nelson College, he was articled to the late Mr. Hartley McIntire for four years, and then proceeded to Wellington, where, in January, 1894. he became managing clerk to Messrs Brown and Dean. He also acted in a similar capacity for Mr. Hankiss, of Palmerston North, before settling at Blenheim. Mr. Baillie was married, on the 8th of December, 1897, to Annie Louise, eldest daughter of Colonel William Staveley, sometime Commandant of Militia and Volunteers, Otago district, and has issue.

McCallum, Richard, Barrister at Law, and Crown Solicitor for the judicial district of Nelson, at Blenheim. Mr. McCallum was born in Marlborough in 1863. He served his articles of clerkship with Mr. W. Sinclair, then Crown Solicitor for Marlborough, and after passing the final examination in 1885, entered into partnership with Mr. Sinclair. That continued till 1899, and since then Mr. McCallum has carried on a most successful practice on his own account. Mr. McCallum is solicitor to the National Bank of New Zealand. Ltd., and the Bank of New South Wales. He has been a town councillor and Mayor of Blenheim, and occupies positions in most of the local bodies, including the Marlborough Education Board, and the Wairau Hosnital and Charitable Aid Board, and he was formerly a member of the Lower Wairau River Board.

Rogers, Alfred, Barrister and Solicitor, High Street, Blenheim. Mr. Rogers, who page 337 is the oldest established member of the legal profession in Marlborough, was born in Kent, England. In 1867, he came to New Zealand by the ship “Cissy,” on which he had for one of his fellow passengers the present Bishop of Nelson, the Right Rev. Dr. Mules. On his arrival in New Zealand Mr. Rogers went to Blenheim, and was articled to Mr. C. H. Moffitt. Mr. Rogers was admitted to the Bar in June, 1873, when he started practice in Blenheim. He is legal adviser to the Blenheim branch of the Bank of New Zealand, and the Blenheim Building Society, Registrar under the Friendly Societies Act, and secretary of the local Law Society. He has long taken a keen interest in volunteering, and was promoted to the rank of Major in 1896. Major Rogers has the V.D. medal. He is organist in the Church of England, and is married to a daughter of the late Archdeacon Butt, of Blenheim.