Tuesday 6 August 2013

Justice John McGrath KNZM (1956–1957)




After leaving Huntley in 1957, I went on to Wanganui Collegiate School and then to Victoria University of Wellington where I studied law.
Thereafter, I practised law in Wellington, initially in law firms and then as a Barrister. From 1989, for 11 years I was a public servant, holding the position of SolicitorGeneral and head of the Crown Law Office. This involved being the Government’s senior legal advisor and in charge of legal representation of the Government in its litigation in the courts. I appeared as the Government’s counsel in many appellate cases, including a number before the Privy Council in London, which at the time was New Zealand’s highest Court. In 2000 I moved on to be a judge myself.
During 2003, Parliament ended New Zealand’s relationship with the Privy Council and established in its place the Supreme Court of New Zealand based in Wellington and comprising New Zealand judges. I have been one of the five members of this Court since 2005. In that role I participate in hearing and deciding cases which have particular public importance or which involve a potential miscarriage of justice. Only such cases reach the Supreme Court.
What I remember most from my time at Huntley is not the very good teaching and the wonderful sporting opportunities I had, nor even the several lifelong friendships I formed, important as each of these were. Even more valuable for me was the encouragement we were given to make the best of our talents and to care about others rather than just our own interests. I also particularly remember the importance the headmaster, Mr Noel RixTrott, attached to the “Huntley Code of Honour”, which involved being open and straightforward in all our dealings with people not just those in authority, but those we lived and worked with every day. Huntley taught us about setting our standards in life and conducting ourselves in accordance with them. The school received us at an impressionable age and developed in us ideals of integrity and responsibility that we should strive to achieve throughout life. I am very grateful for that.
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