The statement by the Lord Chief Justice with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor as to the new arrangements for the Technology and Construction Court (formerly known as the Official Referee's Court) is most welcome after the 132 years since the creation of the referee's office (see [2005] Gazette, 9 July, 5).

The evolution of that court from the office of a referee (a QC with High Court judge powers) to High Court judge caused much frustration in the profession. For decades, referees operated under difficult conditions - they had less status than a county court judge and were paid less than High Court Masters. While they had the qualifications of High Court judges, they never enjoyed that status. Under Beeching's proposals, they were classified as circuit judges without being given a chance to appear before his committee or make representations. They were, it seems, prisoners of their history.


But unknown to most of the profession they enjoyed the support of Cairns, Selbourne, Haldane, Birkenhead, Hewart, Sankey, Hailsham, Atkin, Simon, Goddard, Kilmuir, and Dilhorne.


As someone who enjoyed appearing before Official Referees I am pleased to note that the Lord Chief Justice has joined the ranks of those who fought so long and hard to give proper recognition to the most revolutionary recommendation of the Judicature Commission and facilitate an appropriate upgrade in the judicial ranks.


Michael Paul Reynolds, Davies Lavery, Chelmsford, Essex