THE PRIVY COUNCIL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 87, 22 November 1928, Page 3

THE PRIVY COUNCIL

EXTRA MEMBERS APPOINTED, DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. LONDON, Nov. 20. In the House of Commons, Sir T. W. H. In skip, Attorney-General, moved the appointment ot two additional members of the judicial committee of tlie Privy Council at a- salary of £4OOO and with. a. pension of £loot),' and an additional judge of the Appeal Court at a salary of £6OOO nn;l a. pension of £3750. He pointed out that Lord Haldane shortened his life through overwork on the judicial committee. Sir H. 'Slesser asked would Lord Birkenhead claim a Lord Chancellor’s .pension of £SOOO, seeing he did not propose to serve on the judicial committee. Sir W. Inskip, in reply, said, that Lord Birkenhead had informed him that he would shortly undertake new employment with substantial emoluments, and be proposed to claim the pension only for the- transition period. Nevertheless, Lord Birkenhead’s view was that the pension was for past, not present, legal services. Sir H. Grenwood said the, judicial committee was the strongest link of the Empire, and needed to he strengthened. The Canadian view was that we ought not to depend on aged jurists who, however eminent in theii prime, no longer impressed litigants , and counsel from the Dominions and colonies. Mr. Wedgewood (Labour) asked how many directorships Lord Birkenhead would need before relinquishing his pension. He asked whether he could reclaim the pension if his commercial ventures came to nothing. Sir W. Inskip: “Certainly.” The resolution was. carried without a division.