Knighthood for saviour of Raglan Old School

In 1980 the local council looked at demolishing the Raglan Old School building (Now the Raglan Old School Arts Centre in Stewart St.

A group of Raglanites came together and fought a campaign to save the building. Those involved included Glen Young – first chairperson of the RCAC, and Eva Rickard – a local kuia, along with lawyer Ronald Young (now a retired judge). Ronald Young achieved legal protection for the Old School under the Historic Places Act. The building then became Raglan’s first Kohanga Reo and the Raglan Arts Centre.

The same Ron Young has now been made a Knight companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the judiciary.

Well done Sir Ron and thank you for saving the Raglan Old School Building.

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The Hon Ronald Leslie Young

Knight companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the judiciary

One of New Zealand’s longest-serving judges becomes a knight today.

Sir Ron Young retired early last year after more than 25 years on the bench. His career as a judge began in Dunedin in 1988, when he was appointed to the District Court with warrants for youth matters and jury trials.

From 1993 until 2001, he was Chief District Court Judge, in charge of 112 judges. Following that he became a respected High Court judge, sitting also on the Court of Appeal and Vanuatu Court of Appeal and often handling high-profile matters, including sentencing ex-cops Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum to jail for rape. The then-Justice Young said the men, who in a separate case were acquitted of raping Louise Nicholas, were “corrupt police officers” who treated the woman “like a piece of meat”.

Sir Ron was appointed president of the Electoral Commission in 2000 and was a member of a panel that recently reviewed media coverage of courtroom events.

It’s a field he knew well, having worked as a journalist when he studied law at Otago University.

He is now living in Wairarapa.