A Legal Treat at Dunedin Public Library Heritage Collections

By Centre for the Book | He Rau Kupu | Posted: Thursday Mar 27, 2025

A collection of portraits of New Zealand Chief Justices and Judges will go on display in the Reed Gallery, 3rd floor, Heritage, Dunedin Public Library, starting 24 March and finishing 20 April 2025.

This exhibition is an interim one, mounted and ending just before the first Reed exhibition curated by Julian Smith, Reed Librarian.

Much of the collection was formed by the Dunedin-born Mary Downie Stewart (1876–1957), who had the collecting bug like her brother, William Downie Stewart (1878–1949), lawyer, one time Mayor of Dunedin and writer. About 1952, Mary wrote to various Judges and Chief Justices in New Zealand asking for a photographic portrait and a specimen signature. Two of the many who responded included the Honourable Mr Justice Francis Boyd Adams (1888-1973) and Chief Justice the Honourable Sir Francis Humphrey O’Leary (1886-1953). These men – like all the others – were happy to be included in the collection. There are 66 portraits in all, beginning with the Honourable Mr Justice Alexander Samuel Adams (1861-1937) and ending with the Honourable Sir Joshua Strange Williams (1837-1915). Mary was a frequent correspondent of A H Reed’s. She donated her collection of portraits to him. He commented on this important, but little-known collection by writing on the first box:

This collection was gathered, and presented to the Dunedin Public Library by Miss Mary Downie Stewart, O.B.E. in 1952. Otago may be looked upon as the Cradle of New Zealand Judges, so many of them having been connected with the province either by birth or training, or by the practice of Law. Several of the Chief Justices are also linked with Otago.

While Mary was the prime collator of this collection, she was aided by her brother William, who also had some input into forming parts of it. Indeed, from the documentation extant, he was asking colleagues and friends for portraits and biographical details as early as August 1911. Two who responded (among others) included the Honourable Sir Frederick Revans Chapman (1849-1936) and later in December 1914, the Honourable Sir John Henry Hosking (1854-1928).

And for those who are not aware of these brother and sister collectors, a brief biography is given below.

Mary Downie Stewart (1876-1957) was a notable New Zealand political hostess and welfare worker. She was born in Dunedin. Her father was William Downie Stewart Sr, a lawyer and from 1879 a member of the House of Representatives. Her mother, Rachel Hepburn, died when Mary was two years old. Her grandfather was the politician George Hepburn. She was very close to her siblings, including Rachel Hepburn Stewart and her brother William Downie Stewart Jr. She acted as mayoress for William Jr when he was elected Mayor of Dunedin. She was regarded as a gracious hostess and an excellent organiser. When her brother William returned from the war crippled with rheumatoid arthritis, she gave him full support, selflessly looking after his career in politics. She was an active member of various women’s organisations such as the Otago and Southland Women’s Patriotic Association, and the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children. For her work during the First World War she was appointed an OBE, and in 1916 was awarded both the French Médaille de la Reconnaissance française, and the Belgian Médaille de la Reine Elisabeth (Queen Elisabeth Medal).

William Downie Stewart (1878–1949) was a New Zealand Finance Minister, Mayor of Dunedin and writer. Born in Dunedin, he was educated at Otago Boys’ High School and then the University of Otago. He graduated LL.B in 1900. In 1914, he entered Parliament, representing Dunedin West under the Reform Party banner. He did not admire Richard Seddon. In January 1916, while engaged in the war effort in Egypt, he suffered from an attack of rheumatism that left him crippled for life. In Parliament, Downie Stewart was deemed a careful and rational administrator. He rose to be Finance Minister between 1931–1933, and in 1926 was acting prime minister for a brief period. He resigned after the devaluation of the New Zealand currency, a measure he opposed. In addition to his parliamentary duties (he had a strong interest in social reform) and his brief stint as Mayor of Dunedin (1913-1914), he wrote books, such as State socialism in New Zealand (1910), edited theJournal of George Hepburn (1934), and works on Sir Francis H.D. Bell and Sir Joshua Strange Williams. He was also a fervent book collector. He later became the first Chairman of the newly formed New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. From 1943 to 1948, he held a position on Senate of the University of New Zealand. Downie Stewart never married and was supported and cared for by his sister Mary. He died on 29 September 1949. His library was dispersed after his death.