These are what are called ministerial duties, as opposed to judicial duties which some JPs undertake within the district court.
His services were often called on in the absence of any practising solicitors in Ruatoria, and as a more convenient option than driving to Gisborne.
Normally clients would make an appointment, he said. “But up here people just turn up. They came in on the school bus, or whatever, expecting that you’re there. Even though I am always doing my own ordinary work, you make the time to help them,” Mr Hughes said.
“I got a lot of satisfaction out of the job,” he said.
An afternoon tea was held at the HB Williams Memorial Library to acknowledge his service. Mayor Rehette Stoltz attended and wished Mr Hughes well.
Before his appointment as a JP he worked as a part-time Coroner for the Ruatoria area for 33 years.
Mr Hughes is now officially a “JP Retired”, the title given once you have completed a certain number of years in the position.
His working life is also coming to a close, with his Ruatoria business, Hughie Hughes Electrical, in the process of being sold after 68 years.
Mr Hughes has a long association with St John in Ruatoria and in 2020 was awarded a special medal for his 75 years voluntary service to the organisation and the East Coast community.
At the time he said of his voluntary work, “I would never have wanted to be paid for what I’ve done.”
“Once you take it as a job and get paid for it, it changes people’s expectations. Volunteering has its own rewards.”
He encouraged people to get into volunteering, “because it’s more important than anything”.
