§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)asked Mr. Attorney General, What additional functions were undertaken by Master Campbell when, in 1879, his salary was raised from £1,000 per annum to £1,500 per annum; whether his office hours are from 11 till 4; what are his duties; whether he attends any of the Board meetings of the five Companies of which he is a Director during his official hours; whether Mr. Attorney General has obtained any information as to whether any Taxing Masters are Directors of Public Companies; and, if so, whether they attend the Boards of these Companies during their official hours; and, whether it is intended to forbid attendance during official hours at Boards of Companies by Master Campbell and by Taxing Masters?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER) (Isle of Wight)In reply to the hon. Member, he will find, on reference to the Judicature Officers' Act, 1879, that the Associates have to perform any of the duties of the Masters which were analogous to those performed by them before the passing of the Act. I am informed by Master Campbell that he reaches the Royal Courts before 10.30, and rarely leaves before 5.30, the ordinary hours of attendance being from 11 to 4; that he has to make arrangements with the Judges for the sitting of all the Courts; to enter the records of the different cases tried; and to superintend the discharge by the clerks of their respective duties. I must remind the hon. Member, with reference to the fourth paragraph of his Question, of the answer I gave to a Question of his upon a previous occasion. Master Campbell states that, though he has sometimes attended Board meetings of a Company during the hours named, he has never allowed such attendance to interfere with the discharge of his official duties. I am informed by the Lord Chancellor that he has received information as to whether the Taxing Masters are Directors of Public Companies, and proposes to lay 458 upon the Table of the House a complete Return so far as it affects the Supreme Court. As to the last paragraph, the subject must be dealt with by the Government as a whole, and one Rule applied to all the Civil establishments.