THE ATTORNEY-GENERALSHIP.

Evening Star, Issue 3704, 6 January 1875, Page 3

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL-SHIP.

Dr Pollen’s reply to Mr Travers lias been published. The Colonial Secretary says Wr Tra vers’s views on the official status of the Attorney General are “ demonstrably wrong,” and adds ; —“ Mr Prendergast, who is about to be raised to the highest judicial dignity in this Colony,' has discharged the duties of Attorney-General during nearly twe’ve years, with advantage to the public and with the grateful acknowledgements of successive Governments, without feeling or fearing any of the inconveniences the occurrence of which you anticipate, and also without desiring an exemption from Ministerial direction, which is not accorded even to the Attorney-General in England.” The ‘ Now Zealand Times ’ says “It was late in November last when Mr Travers discovered that the Attoi ney-General was by law a civil servant of the Crown of the first class, and as such subject to Ministerial direction ; and that because of this position he would not be entitled to precedence at the bar, in case of the appointment, at any future time, of a political Solicitor-General. Because of this discovery, Mr Travers declined to make ‘ the considerable sacrifice of income’ which his acceptance of office would entail upon him, ‘ unless Ministers take a different view of his position.’ ”