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Enclosures I
0
despatch, and I attach only the remaining paragraphs
which deal with his own retirement. I summoned a meeting
of my Council and said that, ea embers were well aware,
the question of the Appeal Court was not in point of fact
the sole or even the most important-reason why the
t
Chief Justice was called upon to reire; that reason had
been put forward by the Secretary of State and by the
Council out of consideration for His Honour, but since
his letters showed that he was determined not to accept
it, the Council had no alternative but to inform him
that apart from that matter it was necessary he should
retire. I added that I differed from His Honour's dictum
that the Executive Council must give reasons, and I should
decline to do so. The Council unanimously advised in this sense and on the 18th. instant the following decision
was sent to him:-
"I have the honour to inform you that the
Governor-in-Council having considered the letters of the
1st. and 6th instant addressed to me by Your Honour, has
decided unanimously that it is expedient that Your Honour should retire when you reach the age of 60 quite indepen- dently of the matter of the appeal Court and that you should be so informed in accordance with the provision
of ordinance No.1 of 1910".
6.
On its receipt he demanded an immediate
interview which took place on the 22nd, instant, Lr Clementi, acting Colonial Secretary bein present. The intervion was a very painful one. Sir Francis rigott, who was obviously in a state of high tension and nervous excite- mont, demanded to know the reasons for the Council's action. He complained that his dismissal was entirely unexpected by himself, and had left him no time to look round for other employment; that as he had not completed
his
!