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The Chief Justice sent for the Registrar to his Chambers, and Mr. Galda refused to come, maintaining that he was an independent Head of Department, and should be communicated with by the Judges in writing. His contention was submitted to the Secretary of State, and was overruled. I believe I am right in saying that the status of the Registrar had been settled some years previously, when he was accorded the status of a Head of Department, the reasons for doing so being those I have referred to in my previous letters.
It enabled him to communicate direct with the Colonial Secretary, thereby relieving the Judges of much correspondence, which would otherwise have been addressed to the Governor: it also gave the Registrar a certain official and social status which the importance of his office seemed to warrant. This did not however prevent his being held to be subordinate to the Judges.
It should be noted that the Registrar in Mauritius is also Master of the Court, and in that capacity exercises independent judicial functions in connexion with sales of mortgaged lands. He therefore, like the Registrar in this Colony, in addition to being Registrar of the Court, has other independent duties which are those of another office.