23 JANUARY 1932, Page 3

The Judges' Salaries There is a great deal to be

said for the protest of the High Court Judges :against the compulsory reduc- tion, by an Order in Council under the Economy Act, of their by no means excessive salaries from £5,000 to £4,000. The Government appears to have acted illegally in the matter, and it must certainly be recognized, now that the question has been raised, very inexpediently. The judges' Salaries were fixed immutably by the Act Of Settlement for very convincing reasons. If Parliament could reduce them on grounds of economy it could reduce them from very mud' less worthy motives. The judiciary must be put completely out of reach of that possibility. From another point of view, the greater the pecuniary sacrifice a successful barriSter is called on to make on accepting a judgeihip the more the quality of the Bench Will suffer. If individual judges choose to forego part of their salaries either privately or publicly that is their own

affair. * « * •