Justice of the peace Bill Townsend was yesterday honoured at a ceremony in the Alexandra District Court for his 26 years as a judicial justice of the peace.
He was presented with a certificate marking his ''valuable contribution'' and ''meritorious service'' to the Queenstown, Alexandra and Dunedin courts by Judge Michael Turner.
Mr Townsend (78), now of Alexandra but formerly of Naseby and Dunedin, was also presented with a certificate of appreciation from the Otago Justice of the Peace Association in Dunedin last month.
Mr Townsend, who was appointed a JP in 1989 and a judicial JP in 1991, retired as a judicial JP last year but continues to do general JP duties.
He said he was ''honoured, humbled and overwhelmed'' by the recognition of his service.
''You don't go into this to get pats on the back. You do it to give service, and that's all I've done.''
Acting president of the Central Otago sub-branch of the Otago Justice of the Peace Association, Jim Harborow, said as well as JP service, Mr Townsend had contributed in other ways to rural communities for more than 50 years.
He was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2007 for services to rugby, community and as a JP, and is a former president of the Otago Justices of the Peace Association.
