Harold Stewart (Harry) Edward, 1950 - 2019

Harry Edward Harry Edward died suddenly on 27 October 2019. Rotorua has lost one of its most respected and colourful criminal defence counsel. Harry was born in Rotorua on 14 September 1950. His family moved to Ashburton for a time before returning to Rotorua. Harry entered the law after working as a…

Dr John Lochiel Robson CBE, 1909 – 1993

By Sir Kenneth Keith Dr John Robson CBE, Secretary for Justice between 1960 and 1970 and Visiting Fellow and Director of Criminological Studies at Victoria University of Wellington from 1972 to 1980, died in Wellington on 17 September 1993, aged 84. He is survived by his wife Katherine and their four…

Justice Neil William Williamson, 1938 – 1996

By Brian Fay Neil Williamson, High Court Judge, born 1938 at Christchurch, died 15 February 1996 at Auckland, aged 57. Catholic, Husband, Father, Friend, Lawyer, Judge – a few words which give some insight into the man, Neil William Williamson, whose untimely death occurred recently. Neil, as he was known and loved by…

Michael Anthony Bungay QC, 1934 - 1993

A reflection by Gary Turkington In a quiet moment, I draw together my thoughts of Michael Bungay QC, advocate, friend, wit, writer, lover, raconteur – he was all those things and more. In an instant "gone down to the tongueless silence of the dreamless dust." So a reflection perhaps, before moving to…

John Hamilton Hall, 1925 - 1994

Judge John Hamilton Hall, formerly a permanent judge of the Otahuhu District Court, died in Auckland in April 1994 aged 68. Born in Carterton and educated at Wellington College and Victoria University of Wellington, he later joined the British Colonial Service, holding various posts in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in the 1950s…

Eric Hogg, 1897 - 1994

Former Wellington lawyer and honorary life member of the Wellington District Law Society, Eric Hogg, died in January 1994 aged 96. A Wellington College pupil and graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, Mr Hogg began legal practice with the firm of Luke and Kennedy in 1920. In 1928 he went into…

Walter Mervyn Rodgers, 1925 - 1994

By Alan Ritchie Walter Mervyn Rodgers was the New Zealand Law Society’s Secretary-General from 1971, coming to Wellington from his legal practice in Invercargill. He served as Secretary-General under seven Presidents – Denis McGrath, Stanley Ton, Guy Smith, Lester Castle, Laurie Southwick QC, Tom Eichelbaum QC and Bruce Slane. On his retirement…

Maxwell Rae Grierson OBE, 1900 - 1994

The elder statesman of New Zealand’s legal fraternity, Maxwell Rae Grierson, OBE, died in Auckland on 10 June 1994 aged 93. A founding partner of Simpson Grierson Butler White, he was the Commonwealth’s oldest legal practitioner and was in his office just a week before his death working on client business. He…

Sir Guy Richardson Powles, KBE, 1905 - 1994

By Sue Richards The successful grafting of the Scandinavian Ombudsman concept on to New Zealand’s Westminster system of government can fairly be attributed to the personal skills and qualities of New Zealand’s first Ombudsman, Sir Guy Powles. Under his wise stewardship from 1962 until his retirement in 1977, the role of the…

Sir Desmond Sullivan, 1920 – 1996

By Judge Fergus Paterson Sir Desmond Sullivan died unexpectedly but peacefully at his home in Whites Line East, Lower Hutt, on 7 September 1996 aged 76 years. He and Lady (Phyl) Sullivan had moved there from their family home in Seatoun Heights when he retired in 1985. Their lovely bush style…