THE PRECEDENCE QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 152, 1 July 1903, Page 4

THE PRECEDENCE QUESTION.

FEB FBEB3 ASSOCIATION. Wellington, June 29. The Post to-night publishes extracts from tho protests of Judges against the alterations made in the new table of precedence by which Ministers of the Crown rank above the Judges. The Chief Justice, writing under date 23: d inst., in reply to a notification of the changes, says the precedence of the Chief Justice is most afiected, and he cannot be blamed if he assumed that the new table had a personal reference. He concluees: —" I am prepared and desire to resign my office so soon as arracgementß are made for an equitable compensation on my loss cf office, as has already been stated in the petition presented to His Majesty. The terms of my patent of offica have bean violated, and I am therefore jnstly entitled to compensation on my retirement."

Sydney, June 30,

The Daily Tekgraph states that Sir Robert Stout's forcible protest expresses ins'stence on the proper prestige of a high judicial officer by comparison with that of at least all Ministers except the Premier. Milboubnk, June 30.

I Sir -E. Barton states tbat the order of precedence docs not refer to the Commonwealth. The State Governor says that co table of precedence has lately been received from Home.