SUPREME COURT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 310, 28 November 1936, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

VACANCY ON BENCH. SIR JOHN REED’S POSITION Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. Nov. 27. The Attorney-General (Hon. H. G. R. Mason) announced to-day that it is not the intention of the Government to fill immediately the vacancy on the Supremo Court Bench which will be created next month by the retirement of Sir John Reed, who will then have reached the retiring age of 72. Until last year the Bench consisted of the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) and eight puisne Judges, but owing to' the necessity created by the establishment of the Court of Review for mortgagors’ liabilities under the llura] Mortgagors Final Adjustment Act, 1934-35, and the appointment of Mr Justice Johnston as Judge of that Court, the Judicature Amendment Act, 1935, was passed to provide that the Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice and nine other Judges. The Court of Review, presided over by Mr Justice Johnston, is still in existence under the Mortgagors and Les- j sees Rehabilitation Act. 1936. The j Government’s aim is that the work of that Court should, as iar as possible, be completed during the coming year, and, until the work is substantially completed, the Government finds itself unable to determine the question i whether eventually the Supreme Court j work will require nine permanent i Judges or ten. If only nine are requir-j ed, it would not be necessary to fill the vacancy that will arise next month. j

In the meantime, owing to Mr Justice Johnston’s services being still required in the Court of Review, and to the absence on leave during next year of another Judge/and the Government having decided not to appoint a permanent Judge immediately, the appointment of a temporary Judge for a year is necessary. As, by statute, a temporary Judge can be appointed only on the recommendation of the Chief Justice and not fewer than three other Judges, the AttorneyGeneral has referred the matter to the Chief Justice, who. after consulting his colleagues, lias intimated that the Judges will in the circumstances make

the necessary recommendation. The Government lias accordingly requested Sir John Reed to accept {he position of temporary Judge for a year, and this His Honour lias agreed to do.