New Year Honours: Peacemaker for all occasions

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Since retiring as Chief District Court Judge 13 years ago, Judge Peter Trapski has forged a reputation as an amiable peacemaker in disputes between businesses, boards, partners and families.

His third career as an arbitrator and mediator has taken work away from the courts and he is pleased at the way mediation has become an acceptable alternative.

"It's gratifying work when people walk out at the end of the day and shake hands on a deal rather than have a fight," Judge Trapski said yesterday from his home in Tauranga.

He expressed surprise at being appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours list for services to law and the community.

"I've been out of the public eye for so long."

But his industry behind the scenes - whether conducting a Government review of child support, or heading his district's garden and arts festival - has maintained his prominence and mana in the community.

Judge Trapski said his work had brought many challenges and had propelled him along a giant learning curve.

Present posts include being the Defence Force's Judge Advocate-General, chairman of regulatory body Kiwifruit New Zealand, and complaints commissioner for milk suppliers to Fonterra.

He chaired the War Pensions Appeal Board from 1989 to 2001.

"I enjoyed dealing with old soldiers who were feeling the pinch because of medical problems and disabilities and to be able to do something for them," said the former Territorial Force member, who saw service with the Regular Force in Malaya after graduating from university in 1958. "The recognition of their service in this way often brought tears to their eyes."

A further interesting appointment was that of chairman of the new judicial control authority for New Zealand racing. He raced three horses successfully in a syndicate of three friends and looks fondly back on race days as a time for family picnics with his wife, Helen, and five daughters.

He was editor and compiler of seven volumes of a widely used textbook on family law.

From 1989-93 he was a member of the Waitangi Tribunal .

He said that during that time he relearned his New Zealand history and came to change his outlook on Maori land protests and their claims for a place in New Zealand's sun.

Judge Trapski was a solicitor in Mt Maunganui and Tauranga from 1960 to 1972 before his appointment as a stipendiary magistrate at 36.

He was the first judicial officer appointed from the Tauranga district.

In 1979 he became a District Court judge and in 1981 was appointed New Zealand's first Principal Family Court Judge.

Four years later he became Chief District Court Judge for New Zealand.

He was sometimes controversial.

Politicians reacted angrily when he challenged their use of parliamentary privilege to name people whose identity had been suppressed by court order.

He also expressed the view that stiffer penalties did little to reduce crime and that prison sentences should be used as a last resort.

On his retirement in 1989, he was appointed a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in 1989 and received a Papal Knighthood from the Vatican in 1995.

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