Mr James Gilmour, New Zealand’s first industrial magistrate, died in April 1974, aged 85.

Admitted as a solicitor in 1915, Mr Gilmour later became registrar of the Arbitration Court until his appointment in 1938 as a special magistrate to handle industrial disputes.

He became known throughout New Zealand as “the flying magistrate” because he moved around playing an important role in settling disputes.

This obituary was published in LawTalk 1, 30 May 1974, page 12.