THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16807, 21 November 1928, Page 11

THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE

TWO NEW MEMBERS LORD BIRKENHEAD’S PENSION (B.oc. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (( ustraiian Press Assn. —United Service.) (Received Nov. 21, 2 p.m.)

LONDON. Nov. 20. In [lie House of Commons Sir Tlios. liiskip moved the appointment of two additional members to Ihe Judicial Committee of the .Privy Council at a salary of £4(p)o a. year, and a pension of YJOOO, and an additional judge to the Appeal Court at qi salary of £(>000 and a pension of £.‘175(). He pointed out I hat. Lord Haldane shortened his life 11 trough overwork on the Judicial Committee.

Sir Henry Glosser asked would Lord Birkenhead claim from the Lord Chancellor a pension of £SOOO seeing that he did not propose to serve on the Judicial Committee.

Sir Tlios. fnskip replied that Lord Birkenhead ha,l informed him that he would shortly undertake new employment with substantial emoluments. He proposed to claim a pension only for the transition period. Nevertheless, Lord Birkenhead's view was that a pension was for liis past, and not present legal services.

,sir Ha mar Greenwood said the Judicial Committee was the strongest link in the Empire and needed to he strengthened. The Canadian view was that we ought not 1o depend on aged jurists who, however eminent in their prime, no longer impressed litigants and counsel from the Dominions and Colonies.

Mr. WodgcYvood Beau asked how many directorships Lord Birkenhead would need before relinquishing his pension. Could tie reclaim n pension if his commercial veil lines came to nothing Sir Tlios Inskip: Certainly. The resolution was carried without a division.