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

Legal

Legal.

The Supreme Court at Hokitika is administered by Mr. Justice Denniston, who has his headquarters at Christchurch; and the Registrar in charge of the Deeds Registry Office, is also Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden. There are resident Crown Prosecutors at Westport, Greymouth, and Hokitika, where sittings of the District Court are held by Judge W. R. Haselden. The Warden's and Magistrate's Courts, which are held in a number of settlements, in addition to the three principal centres, are under the jurisdiction of Mr. W. G. K. Kenrick, who is stationed at Greymouth, and Mr. R. J. Acheson, at Hokitika. These Magistrates are supported by local Justices of the Peace, in the various centres of population. There are barristers and solicitors at Westport, Hokitika, Greymouth, Reefton, and Kumara.

The Supreme Court of the Judicial District of Westland has been established many years, and the district extends from Karamea to Big Bay. Sittings are held in the months of March and September of cach year. The Court rooms form part of the Government buildings in the block that page 506 extends from Sewell Street to Fitzherbert Street. It is a substantial building, and contains a fine judicial chamber, with ample ante-rooms on each side. The offices, which are in a separate building, are in charge of Mr. R. J. Achescn, who is Registrar of the Supreme Court, Stipendiary Magistrate, Warden, Deputy Commissioner of Stamps, Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, District Land Registrar, Registrar of Deeds, and Sherifi and Coroner. Two clrks are employed in the Magistrate's and Wardon's offices, and one in the Supreme Court offices.

Mr. Justice Denniston , whose circuit includes Westland, was born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, in June, 1845, and was appointed to be a Judge of the Supreme Court in New Zealand in 1889. His biography and portrait appear at page 241 of the Canterbury volume of this Cyclopedia.

Mr. Robert John Acheson was appointed Registrar of the Supreme Court, an I Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden at Hokitika in March, 1905. He is further referred to on pages 9134, in the Wellington volume of this Cyclopedia.

The Stipendiary Magistrate's and Warden's Court at Hokitika is situated in the Government buildings, near the Post Office, between Sewell Street and Fitzherbert Street. The building is close to the Supreme Court, and was erected in 1870. It contains a court-room, magistrate's and clerk's rooms, public offices, and a strong-room. The magisterial district is bounded on the north by the Teremakau river, and on the south by the Awara. A Magistrate's Court is held at Hokitika twice a week, and a Warden's Court fortnightly. Regular sittings are also held at Stafford, Goldsborough, Kumara, and Ross, and quarterly sittings at Okarito. The business, as in all mining districts, is chiefly in the Warden's Court, and applications for mining leases come from all parts of the district. Officials for the year 1905: Messrs R. J. Acheson, Warden and Stipendiary Magistrate; J. C. Malfroy, Clerk of the Court; T. W. Cameron, cadet; J. McDonald, messenger and crier of the Supreme Court; and Constable A. Bennett, baliff.

Mr. Jules Caesar Malfroy , Clerk of the Stipendiary Magistrate's and Warden's Court, Hokitika, was born on the 20th of June, 1878, in Hokitika. He was educated at the Hokitika District High School, where he took a scholarship. After a short experience of mercantile life, Mr. Malfroy spent ten months at Rotorua. In 1896 he passed the civil service examination, and joined the public service in New Plymouth, in the Department of Justice. Mr. Malfroy served as relieving officer, and was stationed at Paeroa in 1899 as assistant clerk. In 1901, he was transferred to Ahaura as Clerk of the Court, and was promoted in August, 1903, to his present appointment. Mr. Malfroy also acts as Clerk of the District Court, and of the Westland Licensing Committee. He is a member of the local football, cricket, tennis and hockey clubs, and is secretary of the Hokitika Cricket Club.

Barristers And Solicitors.

Beare, Thomas, LL.B., Barrister and Solicitor, Hamilton Street, Hokitika. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Beare is an Englishman by birth, but was educated in Christchurch. On leaving school he entered the office of Messrs Garrick and Cowlishaw, Christchurch, and passed the general knowledge examination for solicitors in 1888. In the same year he matriculated, and after a successful course at Canterbury College graduated in 1892. He took his degree of Bachelor of Laws at the New Zealand University, and was admitted to the Bar in 1893, at Hokitika. He accepted an engagement with Messrs Guinness and Kitchingham at Greymouth, where he had considerable experience in conducting all the cases for the firm during the absence in Wellington of the senior partner, Mr. A. R. Guinness, now (1906) Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 1836 Mr. Beare started practising his profession at Hokitika, where he has ever since been most successful, particularly in criminal law. He holds the position of solicitor for the Government Advances to Settlers Office in the Westland district, and for the Waiho Water Race and Sluicing Company, Limited, etc.

Lewis, Joel Barnett, Barrister, Solicitor, and Conveyancer, Hamilton Street, Hokitika. Private residence, Brittan Street. Bankers, Bank of New South Wales, Mr. Lewis was born in London in 1848, educated privately, and arrived in Australia in 1857. Crossing over to New Zealand a few years later, he was articled to Mr. J. A. J. McGregor, of Dunedin, admitted to the bar in Christchurch in 1873, and practised in Dunedin till 1882. Prior to establishing his present practice in Hokitika, he was for a time associated with Mr. S. M. South, then Crown Prosecutor, at Hokitika.

Park, James, Barrister and Solicitor, Hamilton Street, Hokitika. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand and Bank of New Zealand. This business was established by Mr. Park at Hokitika in the year 1883. He was afterwards joined in partnership by Mr. James A. Murdoch, but later on the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Park has a first-class connection throughout the West Coast, and has long been prominently identified with the interests of the mining community.

Mr. James Park , Crown Prosecutor for Westland, is a son of Mr. Gavin Park, who came out to New Zealand in the ship “Philip Laing”
Mr. J. Park.

Mr. J. Park.

in the later forties. Mr. Park was born at Lyttelton in the year 1854, was educated privately, and attended the Otago University. He was articled to Messrs Joyce and Adams, in 1879, passed his first series of examinations in 1881, and, becoming duly qualified, was admitted to the bar by Mr. Justice Williams in 1883. Mr. Park went in the same year to Hokitika, and established his present business.