PERSONAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2488, 29 April 1909, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The ‘'New Zealand Gazette-' notifies that Mr. Samuel James- Williams, post-, master at Toko-mam Bay, lias been authorised to take and receive statutory declarations under the Justices of the Peace Act. It is notified in the “New Zealand Gazette” that Mr: Henry MeXcish Walker lias been appointed deputy registrar of marriages, etc., for the To’oga Bay district. The retirement of Judge Seth Smith, President of the Native Appellate Court, is announced. He was for some time Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, which position he resigned in 1 SiU owing to a serious affection of the eyes, and left- for England for treatment. Returning to New Zealand, he practised his nrofession as barrister at Auckland until* 1904, when cm the resignation of Chief Judge Davy, who had succeeded him, he was appointed deputy-Chief Judge. On the present Chief Judge (Mr. Jackson Palmer) being appointed, Mr. Seth Smith was given .separate jurisdiction over the Native Appellate <.*>urt, of which tribunal ho was appointed President. It is no doubt this position that was meant in the telegram advising the abolition of the office of the Chief Judge. The Native Appellate Court- will cease to act as a- separata tribunal, and will again he placed under tho jurisdiction of the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, as it had always been prior to Judge Seth Smith’s appointment. A Press Association telegram states that Mr. W. D. Cochrane, mining engineer, Dunedin, has accepted the position of mining adviser to the Government of Fiji. He expects to he absent from the Dominion about 12 months.