Wanganui District and Stipendiary Magistrate's Courts are held in the Courthouse, which is a wooden building situated in Market Square, at the junction of Ridgway and Bell streets. The building affords accommodation for the officers of the above courts, other Government officials, and for the sittings of the Supreme Court.

Judge Charles Cargill Kettle presides over the District Courts of Wanganui, Taranaki, and Wairarapa. He is also Stipendiary Magistrate for Wanganui and Taranaki, Registrar of the Supreme Court at Wanganui, with special powers of a Supreme Court Judge sitting in Chambers, Coroner, Judge of Assessment Courts, and Chairman of Licensing Committees. He is the eldest son of the late Mr. C. H. Kettle, of Littleborne House, Dunedin, where he was born on the 4th of June, 1850. Admitted a barrister of the Supreme Court on the 14th of July, 1873, Mr. Kettle practised his profession for seventeen years in Dunedin, and was appointed District Court Judge for Wanganui and Taranaki on the 21st of February, 1890. Judge Kettle is a persistent advocate of the independence of the Bench of Justice, and has succeeded in thoroughly arousing public opinion on the question, which is strongly in favour of his contention. He has on several occasions petitioned Parliament on the subject, favourable reports from both Houses resulting. (See Hansard, 16th of October, 1894, page 803; and 12th of August, 1896, page 280).

Mr. Andrew Duncan Thomson, Clerk of the Wanganui Stipendiary Magistrate's and District Courts, Deputy-Registrar of the Supreme Court, Sheriff, Clerk of the Licensing Committee, and Registrar of Electors, is the eldest son of Mr. Andrew Thomson, of Wanganui. He was born at Napier in 1864, and was educated privately. Joining the Magistrate's Court at Wanganui in 1878 as junior clerk, he was appointed clerk at Feilding in 1882, and relieving clerk in 1886. In 1890 he was appointed second clerk at Wellington, and in 1892 received his present appointment at Wanganui, having previously been admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court. Mr. Thomson was married in Dunedin to a daughter of Mr. F. J. Wilson, solicitor to the Public Trustee at Wellington. In aquatics he has always taken an active interest, having rowed in several races with distinction. As a footballer he has represented Wanganui, Manawatu, and Wellington, and was captain of the latter team in 1890. He is also known throughout the Colony as one of the most fair and impartial referees, with a thorough knowledge of the finer points of the Rugby game.

Photo by A. Martin.
Mr. A. D. Thomson.

Borlase and Barnicoat, Barristers and Solicitors, Ridgway Street, Wanganui. Telephone 1; P.O. Box 101. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residences; Mr. Borlase, Bell Street; Mr. Barnicoat, Keith Street. Agents:—London, Messrs. Paine and Co., 14 St. Helen's Place, E.C.; Wellington, Messrs. Bell, Gully, and Izard; Auckland, Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond; Dunedin, Messrs. Stout, Mondy, Sim and Findlay; New Plymouth, Mr. Oliver Samuel. Mr. Borlase was admitted as barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court at Wellington in 1868, and Mr. Barnicoat at Nelson in 1875. Mr. Borlase is a notary public. Messrs. Borlase and Barnicoat are solicitors for the Bank of New Zealand, Bank of New South Wales, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Wanganui Loan and Finance Company, the Wanganui Freezing Company, Castlecliff Railway Company, etc., and are agents for Messrs. Paine and Co., London; Messrs. Bell, Gully and Izard, Wellington; Messrs. Hesketh and Richmond, Auckland; Messrs. Stout, Mondy and Sim, Dunedin; and Mr. Oliver Samuel, New Plymouth.

Burnett, C., Barrister and Solicitor, Ridgway Street, Wanganui. Telegraphic address, “Burnett, Wanganui.” Bankers, Bank of New South Wales. Private residence, Fordell. London agents, Messrs. [gap — reason: illegible]manuel and Simmonds, Finsbury Circus. Welling-agents Legal, Kirk and Atkinson commercial, Messrs. Benjamin Smith and Co. New Plymouth—Commercial agents, Messrs. A. C. Fookes and Co. Mr. Burnett was admitted at Wellington a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1879. and established himself as above during the same year.

Caffry, Fitzherbert Ruxton, B.A. Barrister and Solicitor, Victoria Avenue, Wanganui. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, Victoria Avenue. Mr. Caffry was born in Ireland, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he took classical honours. He graduated in 1841, and was admitted a solicitor of the Irish Courts, Easter Term, 1845. He came to the Colony in 1863, and was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Mr. Caffry has practised in Wanganui since 1867.

Fitzherbert and Marshall (Samuel Thomas Fitzherbert, M.A., Trin. Col., Camb., and Gifford Marshall), Barristers and Solicitors, Wanganui. London agents, Messrs. Wynue, Holme and Wynne, 10 New Court, Lincoln's Inn. Mr. Fitzherbert, of the Inner Temple, was called to the English bar on the 17th of November, 1871, and is a member of the Western Circuit. In 1872 and 1873 he practised in British Guiana and the West Indies, and arriving in New Zealand in September, 1874, he was admitted as barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in November. He has since practised in Wanganui, and has been Crown Solicitor and Crown Prosecutor for the Wanganui District for many years. Mr. Marshall, having served his articles under Mr. Fitzherbert, was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in December, 1882, and joined Mr. Fitzherbert in partnership in January, 1885. The firm are solicitors to the Bank of Australasia and the National Bank of New Zealand at Wanganui, the Wanganui Harbour Board, Wanganui Education Board, Wanganui County Council, Wanganui Hospital Board, and Wanganui and Patea Charitable Aid Board, &c.

Treadwell and Lloyd (William James Tread-well and Thomas Lloyd), Barristers and Solicitors, Rutland Chambers, Ridgway Street, Wanganui. Telephone 21; P.O. Box 50. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. Private residences: Mr. Treadwell, Durietown; Mr. Lloyd, Campbell Street. Agents: Wellington, Messrs. Stafford, Treadwell, and Field; Auckland, Messrs. Devore page 1403 and Cooper; Christchurch, Messrs. Duncan and Cotterell. Both partners were admitted to the profession as barristers and solicitors in 1889, the present partnership having been established in 1891.

Watt, James Paton, B.A, L.L.B., Barrister and Solicitor, Ridgway Street, Wanganui. Telephone 99; P.O. Box 122. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand. Private residence, St. John's Hill. Agents: New Plymouth, Mr. J. B. Roy; Palmerston North, Mr. T. B. Crump. Mr. Watt is solicitor to the Waitotara County Council. He is captain of the Alexandra Cavalry, and further particulars will he found in that connection.

Cook, Charles, Barrister and Solicitor, Ridgway Street, Wanganui. Hogg, D., Barrister and Solicitor, Ridgway Street, Wanganui.