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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Legal

Legal.

Palmerston North Magistrate's Court, which was established early in 1879, is now held in a handsome new courthouse fronting Main Street, with an entrance at the back to Church Street. The building, which was completed in January, 1895, is a wooden structure, having a large and lofty room, lighted by windows on three sides, where the sittings of the District and Magistrate's Courts are held. Surrounding the court are comfortable rooms for the district judge, stipendiary magistrate, clerk of court, witnesses, juries, and prisoners, besides strong-room, library, lavatory, &c. The District Court sits on the first Thursday in each month, District Judge C. C. Kettle presiding. Mr. R. L. Stanford, S.M., presides at the civil sittings on two days each week, criminal cases being taken almost daily, as required, by the local justices. The magistrate visits the Courts at Marton, Bulls, Hunterville, Feilding, Foxton, Levin, and Otaki, in addition to his duties in the borough. Statistics show that the Court at Palmerston North banks third for its volume of business in New Zealand, being only exceeded by Wellington and Dunedin.

Mr. Robert Loftus Stanford, B.A., L.L.B., J.P., the Stipendiary Magistrate in charge of the Palmerston North District, who is also chairman of the Rangitikei, Palmerston, and Otaki Licensing Committees, and judge of thirteen Assessment Courts, was born in Buckinghamshire, England, in 1839, and was educated at Cheltenham College and at Exeter College, Oxford. In 1862 Mr. Stanford took his B.A. degree at Oxford, and two years after he came to Dunedin, per ship “Chili.” Having studied for the legal profession, he was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in Dunedin in 1883, and practised his profession for many years, the firm being Stanford and Milne. In 1884 Mr. Stanford gained his L.L.B. degree at the New Zealand University in Dunedin. He was appointed S.M. at Palmerston North on the 15th of November, 1894, and at once took up his duties. As a member of the Masonic fraternity he was initiated in Apollo Lodge, Oxford. Mr. Stanford was married in 1864 to a daughter of the Dean of Leighlin, in Ireland, and has five sons and five daughters.

Photo by Attwood and Co. Mr. R. L. Stanford, S. M., Palmerston North.

Photo by Attwood and Co.
Mr. R. L. Stanford, S. M., Palmerston North
.

Mr. William Matravers, Clerk of the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court, Registrar and Returning Officer of the Palmerston Electoral District, Clerk to the Licensing Committee, and Interpreter to the Court, was born in 1846 in Somerset, England, where he was educated. Arriving in Auckland, per ship “British Trident,” in 1864, he served in the Defence Force and afterwards in the Armed Constabulary. Leaving to join the civil service in 1877, Mr. Matravers became clerk of the Maketu and Rotokino Courts, and, after a time as accountant at Wellington, was stationed for ten years as clerk of the court at Tauranga, and was subsequently at Feilding and Foxton, being appointed to the offices he now holds in 1891. As a member of the craft, he was initiated in the Tauranga Lodge, I.C.

Mr. John Frederick Manning, Bailiff of the District and Magistrate's Courts at Palmerston North, is the eldest son of Sergeant Manning, who was for many years bailiff of the above Courts. Born in Surrey, England, in 1867, he came to Wellington with his parents, per ship “Edwin Fox,” in 1875, and was educated in the Colony. Prior to entering the civil service as bailiff in 1892, he was for eight years assistant bailiff under his father, In 1894 Mr. Manning was married to a daughter of Mr. George Hathaway, of Southland. He is interested in cycling, and acts as secretary of the local Cycling Club.

Baker and Cooke (Arthur Southey Baker and Frank Herbert Cooke), Barristers and Solicitors, the Square, Palmerston North. Bankers, Bank of Australasia. Telephone 18; P.O. Box 61. Private residences: Mr. Baker, Awapuni; Mr. Cooke, Amesbury Street. Mr. Baker is a native of Cranbrook, Kent. He was educated at Lancing College, England, and came out to New Zealand in 1877. He was articled to Messrs. Izard and Loughnan, of Christchurch, and was admitted as a barrister in 1881. Mr. Cooke was born in Melbourne. He was educated at Tonbridge School, Kent, and came to New Zealand in 1879. He was articled to Mr. Denniston (now Judge Denniston), of the well-known firm of Stewart and Denniston, page 1167 of Dunedin, and was admitted a barrister in 1884. The business of Messrs. Baker and Cooke was established originally by Mr. Baker in 1882, and conducted by him until 1890, when he was joined by Mr. Cooke. Messrs. Baker and Cooke are solicitors to the Bank of Australasia, Manawatu Building Society, Manawatu Road Board, and the Manawatu Drainage Board.

Crump, Thos. B., Barrister and Solicitor, The Square, Palmernton North. Telegraphic address, “Crump, Palmerston North;” P.O. Box 107. Bankers, Bank of Australasia. Branch establishment, Levin. London agents, Messrs. Fell and Armstrong; Wellington agents, Messrs. Levi and Bolton. Private residence, Rangitikei Street. Mr. Crump studied in the Colony, being admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in the year 1889, and the following year he established himself as above.

Fitzherbert, Henry Samuel, Barrister and Solicitor, Law Chambers, The Square, Palmerston North. Telegraphic address, “Fitzherbert, Palmerston North.” Telephone 11; P.O. Box 95. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Agents: Wellington, Mr. George Hutchison; Auckland, Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond; Wanganui, Messrs. Fitzherbert and Marshall; Hawera, Mr. E. S. Barton; Napier, Messrs. Sainsbury and Logan; Christchurch, Messrs. Stringer and Creswell; Dunedin,—Messrs. Smith, Anderson, Chapman, and White. Private residence, Broad Street. He was articled to the late Mr. Gordon Allen, Wellington, and Messrs. Smith and Anderson, Dunedin, and was admitted in 1875. He practised fifteen years in Wellington as a member of the firms of Messrs. Barton and Fitzherbert, and Buckley, Stafford, and Fitzherbert, and later solely. While in Wellington he held the office of revising barrister for Friendly Societies, and for electoral rolls. Mr. Fitzherbert was twice elected M.H.R. for the Hutt, 1884 to 1890. He was president of the Petone Working Mens' Club, and for twelve years was a steward of the Wellington Racing Club. He is now Crown solicitor under the Government Advances to Settlers Act, 1894, borough solicitor, legal adviser to the local sash and door company, and to the Licensed Victuallers' Association. He is president of the Manawatu Club, and holds many similar offices.

Hankins, Herbert John, Barrister, Solicitor, and Notary Public, The Square, Palmerston North. Telephone 24; P.O. Box 38. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Agents: London, Messrs. Paine and Company, 14 St. Helen's Place, E.C.; Wellington, New Zealand, Mr. C. P. Skerrett; Dunedin, Messrs. Haggitt Bros. and Brent; Christchurch, Messrs. Wynn, Williams and Son; Auckland, Messrs. Whittaker and Russell. Private residence, Te Rimu, Stoney Creek. Mr. Hankins was articled to Mr. Charles Edward Button, now of Auckland, and admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand at Wellington in November 1878. In 1881 he began practice in Palmerston North. Mr. Hankins is solicitor for the Bank of New Zealand, the Union Bank of Australia, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, the Manawatu County Council, the Pohangina County Council, the Fitzherbert Road Board, etc.

Hawkins, George Frederick, Barrister, Solicitor, and Notary Public, The Square, Palmerston North. Telegraphic address, “Hawkins, Palmerston North.” P.O. Box 29. Bankers, the Union Bank of Australia. Agents: London, Mr. Charles Saxton, Somerset Street, Partman Square; Wellington, Mr. Henry Hall, Brandon Street; Wairoa. Hawke's Bay, Mr. W. B. Hawkins; Auckland, Messrs. Devore and Cooper. Mr. Hawkins was educated under the Rev. Thornthwaite at the college, Margate, and served under Mr. William Elliott Olliver, of Bridge Street, Blackfriars. He was subsequently law clerk to Messrs. Duerden, Brouck-horst, and Smale, of Collins Street, Melbourne. In 1877 he was admitted a barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Mr. Hawkins is also solicitor to the Supreme Court of Fiji. He was a councillor for the borough of Palmerston North for two terms, and was solicitor for the inhabitants of Palmerston North in the famous Court of Appeal case on the question of opening Pitt and Cook Streets, which had been closed by the Railway Commissioners, Messrs. McKerrow, Hannay, and Maxwell. The case lasted about two years, and was finally won for the Palmerston North people by Mr. Hawkins.

Moore, Herbert Gifford, Solicitor, Main Street, Palmerston North. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Fergusson Street. Agents: Messrs. W. R. Haselden (Wellington), T. I. Joynt (Christchurch), Cotterell and Humphries (Napier), Standish and Kerr (New Plymouth), and Treadwell and Lloyd (Wanganui). Born in 1863 in Newry, County Down, Ireland, he reached Oamaru, per ship “Coeleno,” under the care of his father, Mr. Charles Gifford Moore, C.E., at the age of two years. Educated in Oamaru and at Chirst's College, Christchurch, he joined the South British Insurance Co. in Oamaru as a junior in 1878, and entered the post-office a year later. After six years, during which he was mail agent on the San Francisco steamer for one voyage, he left the civil service and travelled as agent for a patent light. For two years Mr. Moore was a station hand and groom in North Canterbury, and in 1888 he entered into the business of a flaxmiller in Ashburton, which he conducted for four years. Having studied law in Christchurch, Mr. Moore was admitted as solicitor of the Supreme Court by Mr. Justice Denniston in 1889. He practised his profession in Hokitika for six months in 1891, and in Ashburton till June, 1892, when he removed to Palmerston North. While in North Canterbury Mr. Moore was a prominent member of the Ashburton Hounds, and was also well known as an amateur cross country rider.

Wither, James Bigg, Barrister and Solicitor, The Square, Palmerston North. P.O. Box 99. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Private residence, Campbell Street. Agents: Messrs. Kirk, Atkinson and Wilson (Wellington), Fell and Atkinson (Nelson), and Borlase and Barnicoat (Wanganui). Mr. Wither was born at Richmond and educated at Nelson College. He studied law with Messrs. Fell and Atkinson, being admitted in Nelson as a solicitor in 1892, and as a barrister in 1895. In 1893–4 he practised in Greytown North, and in the following year he established his practice in Palmerston North.

Guy and Haggitt, Barristers and Solicitors, The Square, Palmerston North. Established 1890, and conducted by present proprietors since 1894.

Hurley, E. O., Barrister and Solicitor, Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North. Bankers, Union Bank of Australia. Established 1890.

Innes, J. P., Solicitor, The Square, Palmerston North. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand.