Familiar voice retires at the courts

By David Clarkson

Anticipation has been one of the skills John Howden has brought to his job as court attendant in the High Court at Christchurch for the last 18 years.

Those who spend time in those courts know he has been able to see people’s needs almost before they know about them themselves.

A document or exhibit they might need. It can be on its way before they have asked for it.

A judge’s associate having trouble catching the words of a witness or barrister. John will have the microphone readjusted without her needing to say anything.

His skills have impressed staff, judges, and lawyers, and they got to to pay their respects to John at his retirement function.

But the gathering also heard of one instance on his final day where his anticipation skills had let him down, and he ended the day wearing a different tie from the one he started with.

It seems that some years ago, a departing Family Court staffer had his tie lopped off with the scissors by John. Revenge was exacted on John’s last day.

The gathering was attended by court staff, police, lawyers, several High Court judges, and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Young. There was a round of applause to acknowledge the presence of the well-known Christchurch barrister, now retired, Mervyn Glue.

Justice Chisholm said the judges were immensely sad to see John go. “From the judges’ point of view he has been an absolutely immaculate manager of the court. One of the things we will miss will be your predictions about the outcome of jury trials — they were always wrong.”

Crown prosecutor Deidre Orchard said John had become a fixture at the courts. “You have been seeing people sometimes at the worst moments of their lives, and your kindness and humanity has often eased the way for them.”

High Court registrar Peter Fantham told how John had been employed in August 1989 when the court had been given permission to employ nine attendants. There were 248 applications and 27 people were short-listed.

“I wasn’t sure what we were looking for, but I knew we had found it in John,” he said.  

We gave them all a copy of the oath to read out. ‘Do you swear by Almighty God, that the evidence you are about to give…’

“John stood up to read it. No-one else did. We realised he had a background in theatrical work.”

He has been a distinctive voice in the Court House ever since, announcing the opening and closing of sessions, and reading out that oath countless times.

John told the gathering how he had gone into farming for 20 years after leaving High School. During that time he had married his wife Heather, and the couple had three sons.

When he left farming, he had drifted for a couple of years until he read the newspaper advertisement for court attendants. He had been proud to get the job and had immensely enjoyed his time at the courts.

He listed the memorable trials where he had been among the court staff and recalled one moment that “made me pinch myself”.

“A jury had just returned a verdict of guilty, and the mother of the accused stood and went over and hugged the mother of the victim, and it was graciously received. It was two people acknowledging where each other was at.”

Although the judges were all different, he believed counsel now had an easier time at court because they were getting more feedback from the bench. He had made a point of letting the judges know when counsel were making their first appearance in the High Court, to ease their way if possible.

“The judiciary have been wonderful to work with, particularly the judges of modern times. They are more inclined to leave their doors open. They are more accessible. They are more willing to stop and have a yarn. I have appreciated that.”

John is hoping that he will be asked back for more work from time to time and it seems certain that he will get his wish.

Peter Fantham told the gathering: “He’s retiring but we can’t afford to lose the skills that John has. We are going to make full use of him as often as we can in the High and District Courts.”