Erima Harvey Northcroft
Encyclopedia
Sir
Erima Harvey Northcroft (2 December 1884 – 10 October 1953) was a New Zealand
lawyer, judge, and military leader.
Northcroft was born in Hokitika, New Zealand
. He attended Auckland University College and began his law practice in Hamilton
. In 1912, Northcroft was a founding member of the Hamilton District Law Society and later became its president.
During the First World War, Northcroft was an artillery officer in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
. In 1919 he returned to New Zealand resumed his law practice and joined an Auckland
law firm in 1923. From 1927 to 1933, Northcroft was a deputy judge advocate general in the New Zealand Army
and from 1933 to 1935 was a Judge Advocate General.
In 1935, Northcroft was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
at Christchurch
, a superior trial court. After the Second World War, Northcroft was appointed as the New Zealand judge on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
in Tokyo
. In recognition of this service, Northcroft was given a knighthood in 1949. After returning from Japan, he resumed sitting as a Supreme Court judge, and occasionally sat as a judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal.
Northcroft died in Christchurch. He was married to Violet Constance Mitchell and was the father of two daughters.
After his death his papers went to the Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection
at the Canterbury University, which was added to the UNESCO
Memory of the World Register.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Erima Harvey Northcroft (2 December 1884 – 10 October 1953) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
lawyer, judge, and military leader.
Northcroft was born in Hokitika, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He attended Auckland University College and began his law practice in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
. In 1912, Northcroft was a founding member of the Hamilton District Law Society and later became its president.
During the First World War, Northcroft was an artillery officer in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
. In 1919 he returned to New Zealand resumed his law practice and joined an Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
law firm in 1923. From 1927 to 1933, Northcroft was a deputy judge advocate general in the New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
and from 1933 to 1935 was a Judge Advocate General.
In 1935, Northcroft was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
at Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, a superior trial court. After the Second World War, Northcroft was appointed as the New Zealand judge on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
International Military Tribunal for the Far East
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East , also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. In recognition of this service, Northcroft was given a knighthood in 1949. After returning from Japan, he resumed sitting as a Supreme Court judge, and occasionally sat as a judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal.
Northcroft died in Christchurch. He was married to Violet Constance Mitchell and was the father of two daughters.
After his death his papers went to the Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection
Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection
The Justice Erima Harvey Northcroft Tokyo War Crimes Trial Collection is an archival collection held at the Macmillan Brown Library of Canterbury University based on the personal papers of Sir Erima Harvey Northcroft, one of the eleven judges on the International Military Tribunal for the Far East...
at the Canterbury University, which was added to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Memory of the World Register.