£1,600 SALARY

Evening Star, Issue 22938, 21 April 1938, Page 7

£1,600 SALARY

INADEQUATE FOR JUDGES TIME FOR REVISION [Peb United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Apl. 20. Pointing out that the present rate of salaries for judges had been in operation since 1920, Mr H. F. O’Leary, president of the New Zealand Law Society, expressed the opinion at the opening session of the society’s conference that the time had come for a revision. It was a fact, Mr O’Leary said, that barristers made large sacrifices in accepting appointment to the Supreme Court Bench, and that others delayed acceptance or refused it because of the sacrifice involved. A judge’s position was among the most important in the land, and should be adequately paid. Mr O’Leary said that the salary of a puisne judge, after the payment of income and employment tax for 1936-37 was £ 1600 net, and he suggested that this salary was inadequate for the position. Speaking of poor people’s causes, Mr O’Leary said he had no doubt that every law practitioner from a King’s Counsel to the most recently admitted junior would willingly undertake any work allotted, thus bringing credit to himself and honour to the profession. By doing so,he,would assist in refuting the accusation sometimes made that the legal profession was selfish and unwilling to do anything unless it brought gain.