§ 50. Mr. WHITELEYasked the Prime Minister on what grounds a barrister whose practice is exclusively at common law has been recently appointed as Chancellor of the Palatine Court of Durham, of which the jurisdiction is confined to Chancery matters; and will he give the number and the nature of the cases heard by the late Chancellor during the years 1932 to 1935, inclusive?
§ The PRIME MINISTERFor the last 46 years the Chancellorship of the Palatine Court of Durham has been held in succession by leading members of the North-Eastern Circuit who did not practise at the Chancery Bar. It was not considered that there were any grounds for departing from this practice on the occasion of the recent appointment. The number of cases which the late Chancellor heard during the years 1932–1935 was 37. Those cases were of the following nature: five witness actions; four motions for judgment; six cases for further consideration; one petition; 13 motions; and eight originating summonses.
§ Mr. SILVERMANCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us what is the present salary of this gentleman?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNot without notice.