Long service awards for JPs
Mayor Nadine Taylor with Marlborough JPs including Jenny Andrews (sixth from right) and Ramon Sutherland (front)
Two long-serving Marlborough Justices of the Peace have been awarded certificates of appreciation.
In presenting the certificates, Mayor Nadine Taylor said Ramon Sutherland and Jenny Andrews had given exceptional service to both the Justices of the Peace organisation and the Marlborough community.
“Our JPs tend to be people who serve our community in many ways and today is a chance to thank all of you for your service and in particular thank Ramon and Jenny who have completed 50 years and 30 years of service respectively,” she said.
In giving Ramon his award she noted that more than half of his active adult life had been given in service.
“I congratulate you on achieving 50 years of service,” she said. “Without people such as you who volunteer it would be a lengthy and expensive process for community members to visit a lawyer to obtain certified documents.”
Ramon, who led Marlborough to its historic Ranfurly Shield rugby win, was sworn in in 1974 after being approached by then MP Ian Brooks.
Former Councillor Jenny Andrews received her warrant from the Governor General in 1993.
Mayor Taylor thanked Mrs Andrews who first worked in the days when people relied on the phone book for contact information. Being a JP with a surname starting with A meant it was always a busy job!
While the demand hasn’t dropped, no longer having a landline helped and the service was far more evenly shared thanks to a JP service now being regularly available at the Marlborough Library in Blenheim at Te Kahu o Waipuna.
JPs witness signatures on legal documents, certify copies of documents such as birth certificates and passports, and administer statutory declarations.
Two JPs are available at Te Kahu o Waipuna each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am to 12pm.
Picton Library and Service Centre has two JPs available each Wednesday from 11am to 1pm.
