Sir Samuel Way was an interesting chap.
Barrister, Royal Commissioner, Justice of the Supreme Court, Attorney General, Chief Justice and Chancellor of Adelaide University among others, and all this without any tertiary qualifications.
His illustrial career commenced when the principal of the firm at which he worked went insane, leaving him to take the reigns. As a Judge he was well known for the fairness of his decisions, as the legend goes, none of his decisions were ever appealed to a higher court. His insistence to rely on principles of equity and reason, as opposed to the strict letter of the law, provided a brand of Justice unique in his time and which almost derived from his layman's approach to those all important issues.
The sculpture of Way on North Terrace depicts him in the wig and gowns of his office. He stands tall and proud and possesses an air of nobility, one hand slightly outstretched as if calmly delivering judgment.
The sculptor was Alfred Drury, and the work displays Drury's characteristic smooth lined classical approach. read more