6.
595
The serious disadvantage at (a)
can be overcome if the gentleman selected as Attorney-
General becomes ipso facto a Civil Servant, entitled to
pension. In such a case the salary offered would naturally
not be so high as it would if he had no prospective ad-
vantage by accepting the post of Attorney-General for as a
Civil Servant of the Crown he would count on the possibili-
ty of promotion to a Judgeship as well as to pension. This
system of appointment, however, necessarily involves the
privilege of private practice for the contingent advantages
I have referred to would not in themselves be sufficient
to tempt one of the leaders of the local Bar to accept the
post unless at a very considerably increased salary, which
the Revenue can ill afford. With the privilege of private
practice and the advantages of a permanent Civil Servant it
is probable that the present salary (£1,500) might be
reduced to £1,200 or perhaps to £1,000. It would be
necessary for the Attorney-General to provide himself with
proper assistance. I venture to submit to Your Lordship
that should a vacancy at any time occur in the post the
advantages in appointing a local Barrister should receive
consideration, if at the time there should in the opinion
of the Governor be any one specially well qualified for the
post.