Former Chief Justice Sir Clifford Grant honored retiring Supreme Court Judge Mr. Justice Stuart during a farewell speech on April 6, 1978, highlighting Stuart’s lifelong dedication to the law and his significant contributions to the Supreme Court. The tribute was published the following day in The Fiji Times, marking a special Supreme Court session in Suva to celebrate Justice Stuart’s retirement.
Sir Clifford noted that Mr. Justice Stuart practiced as a barrister and solicitor in Fiji for 35 years, starting in 1938, before his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1973. He also served as president of the Fiji Law Society from 1962 to 1964 and was active in his community.
At the time of his retirement, Justice Stuart was 68 years old, the official retirement age for Supreme Court judges set by Parliament. Sir Clifford expressed his sorrow over the loss of Justice Stuart’s extensive legal knowledge, wisdom, and humanity, stating, “His departure from the Bench will be a great loss to us all.”
He praised Mr. Justice Stuart’s exemplary conduct in a profession that historically struggled with public perception. Sir Clifford reflected on how lawyers have often been the subject of ridicule in literature, referencing well-known figures like Shakespeare and poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who portrayed lawyers in an unfavorable light.
Despite this historical stigma, Sir Clifford emphasized that once lawyers ascend to the Bench, they are typically regarded with respect and their prior actions often forgiven. He asserted that in Justice Stuart’s case, there was nothing to pardon as he brought with him numerous virtues, particularly his hard work, thoroughness, and diligence.