HISTORY

THE BEGINNING

The Wellington Medico Legal Society began on  26 April 1961, at the rooms of the New Zealand Medical Association (or NZ division of the BMA as it was then) of 26 The Terrace. There were twelve doctors and seven lawyers present. The first president was Mr Kennedy Elliott and a recommendation was made for a maximum of forty members.

The inaugural dinner was held at the Wellington Club on 17 August 1961 and the guest of honour was the Lord Chief Justice of England Lord Parker.

Over the years the pattern was set for about four meetings per year followed by dinner to be held annually. A special meeting is convened each year to commemorate the first president with the Kennedy Elliott Memorial lecture.

The list of previous presidents and secretaries of the Society shows the involvement of prominent members of both professions, which continues to this day.

KENNEDY ELLIOTT MEMORIAL LECTURES

James Kennedy Elliott a foundation member and the Society’s first President died in early 1968.  A Memorial Lecture was established in that year in memory of him.  Below is a list of lectures delivered:

1968      Mr W M Manchester
1969      Sir Thaddeus McCarthy | “Emerging Changes in Medical Legal Field”
1970      Professor Nanson
1971      Mr Justice Beattie | "Medico Legal Aspects of Organ Transplantation in NZ"
1973      Professor Alldred | “Medico Legal Communication”   
1974      Mr C H Arndt | "Adversary System of Justice"
1975      Sir Charles Burns | "Medicine The Law and Alcohol"
1977      Sir William Liley | "Frontiers of Baby Medicine towards the year 2027"
1978      Dr S W P Mirams | “Psychiatry and Political Dissent” 
1979      Sir Owen Woodhouse | “Aspects of The Accident Compensation Scheme”             
1980      Professor H J Weston | “Child Abuse and Neglect” 
1981      The Hon. Mr Justice M D Kirby | “Medico Legal Reforms” 
1982      Dr Reg. Medlicott | “The pursuit of Evil” 
1983      Mr A W Beasley | “The Edinburgh Influence” 
1984      Mr Rolland O’Regan | “Pages from the Past”              
1985      Prof. J J France | “In vitro Fertilisation – the ethical and moral issues” 
1986      Prof. Lloyd Geering | “Moral Dilemma of Euthenasia” 
1989     Mr W Gilett
1991      Mr B.H. Blackwood | “Accident Compensation in 1990’s” 
1992      Dr S M Cordner | “Forensic Medicine in the Courts” 
1993      Sir Kenneth Keith | "Health Care Reform"
1994      Dr G C Salmond | “Individual Imperative and Social Responsibility 
1995      Sir John Jeffries
1996     Sir John Scott |“The Philosophy and Economics of Health Funding” 
1997      Professor Brian Brooks | “Ethics and Professionalism”
1999     Justice Baragwanath | “Protecting New Zealanders from Injury and Death” 
2000     Helen Cull QC | “Running Medical Enquiries” 
2001      Justice Bruce Robertson | “The Lot of the professions in 2001” 
2008      DCJ Neil MacLean, Chief Coroner | “Looking Back on the 1st year and looking forward”

2011      Chris Hodson QC |  "A History of the Wellington Medico Legal Society and the future of medico legal law"