Tauranga District Court’s Judge Christopher Harding retires

Tauranga District Court Judge Christopher Harding pictured on his last day of sitting as before retiring from the bench. Photo / Sandra Conchie

“I’ve been conned.”

That was Judge Christopher Harding’s reaction, while grinning, to seeing his courtroom packed with legal counsel, police and Crown prosecutors and Corrections and court staff past and present, who all gathered to wish the long-standing judge a happy retirement.

Judge Harding had indicated he did not want any special fanfare and wanted to go quietly after a last official sitting in the Tauranga District Court, where he had served on the bench since 2002.

However, on Friday, the judge was tricked into turning up to the courtroom, expecting to hear an urgent bail application from senior defence barrister Bill Nabney.

Instead, the court had been cleared to enable Judge Harding to hear warm tributes and much laughter as those present shared insights into his time on the bench.

Judge Harding spent many of his 21-plus years on the bench in Tauranga as the executive judge. In total, he has been a district court judge for close to 28 years and has sat in other Bay of Plenty courtrooms, including Whakatāne, Rotorua, Waihī and Ōpōtiki.

A choked-up Judge Harding jokingly said that unfortunately, he did not have a speech prepared because he had been “conned” into having this farewell.

“I have been a judge for almost 28 years in total, and I couldn’t really say there is any better place to have sat than in Tauranga District Court.”

Judge Harding described serving as a judge in the Tauranga Moana district court as being “like a gearbox with lots of gears”.

“Obviously, it only works when everything is perfectly synchronised.”

He said he did not apologise for expecting high standards.

“I think there’s an important purpose behind that. If high standards are expected, people work hard to achieve them. And everything works a little bit better when we all maintain those standards.”

Judge Harding said he was grateful to his colleagues for all the help they had provided him over many years.

“Thank you very much for this,” he said.

Tauranga District Court Judge Christopher Harding (left) warmly greeting the then-Minister of Courts Georgina te Heuheu at the official re-opening of McLean House in Tauranga in 2011. Photo / NZME

Senior defence barrister Bill Nabney, who spoke on behalf of Tauranga Criminal Bar, said Judge Harding had told him two weeks earlier that February 17 would be his last sitting.

“But I didn’t quite catch the gravity of what that all meant, and I now do,” he said.

“Your Honour, you have always shown us how a district court judge should judge at all times. Whenever Your Honour was asked to make a decision on anything, it has always been a principled decision, and that is something that we all recognised and have really appreciated.

“In fact, we have also seen that come to the fore when defendants Your Honour has sentenced to imprisonment have actually thanked you for the sentences you imposed, because you have explained why they have received that sentence and they have also appreciated that. I have seen that more than once over the years.”

Nabney also said Judge Harding also had a steadfast expectation of high standards from the criminal bar.

“You have always held us to account when our applications do not fully comply with the law or practice notes... I think that those high standards and your judicial directions held us in good stead.

“You have never wavered from that, and it’s always refreshing...”

Nabney said Judge Harding was also responsible for a number of things that had been adopted nationally, including the case management process, which was now used throughout all courts around the country.

“I think the entire judiciary has you to thank for having a case management process,” he said.

“We really hope you enjoy your retirement... on behalf of the bar, we’re certainly going to miss your sense of humour, your principled decisions in holding us to account, and I hope we continue to maintain the high standards that have required of us all.”

Tauranga Crown solicitor Anna Pollett said Harding had trained many other judges around the country in their first weeks on the bench and in doing so helped to maintain high standards, “which is much appreciated by all those involved in the criminal justice system”.

Pollett said she also wanted to thank Judge Harding for all the support he had provided her and the Crown prosecution team over many years.

“I’m incredibly grateful that you have been so open to discuss matters and help find practicable solutions to help overcome any delays in the court process,” she said.

“And less experienced defence counsel and prosecutors have also been very grateful and appreciative for your feedback and your encouragement as they embark on their careers, and they have always respected your feedback, your generosity, and your support.

“We are going to miss you tremendously and we wish you the very best in your retirement.”

Judge Christopher Harding on the last day of his sitting in Tauranga District Court, February 17, 2023. Photo / Sandra Conchie