Feilding-born judge awarded Higher Doctorate

A retired judge who grew up in Feilding and made a significant impact in the field of law has been awarded a Higher Doctorate from Victoria University where he studied after leaving Feilding Agricultural High School.

The Rt Hon Sir Edmund Thomas, KNZM, QC, was this month awarded a Doctorate of Laws degree (LLD) in recognition of his contribution to jurisprudence.

But when Barry Turner and Don Hoggard knew him at Feilding High School he was just Ted Thomas.

Sir Edmund's cousin Caryll Clausen said the family lived in Marlborough St and later in Duke St.

He made a name for himself as both a lawyer and a member of the Privy Council and published more than 60 articles on a wide range of legal subjects.

Mrs Clausen said he was not popular with her family over his stand against the All Blacks playing in South Africa but he was also responsible for the family of the Rainbow Warrior victim receiving compensation from the French government.

A Higher Doctorate is awarded for a substantial body of published work demonstrating excellence in research or creative achievement and confirms the candidate is a distinguished leader in his/her field.

The award will be conferred at Victoria's graduation ceremony in December.

Sir Edmund is a retired judge of the Court of Appeal and former acting judge of the Supreme Court.

He has been a Visiting Scholar at Harvard Law School and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford University, London University, the Australian National University and Cambridge University.

Sir Edmund is presently a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the University of Auckland's Law School.