I agree with the Commissioner's minute.⁽¹⁾ The Federal jurisdiction of the State courts is provided for by the Constitution, and is a part of the general relations between Commonwealth and States upon which is based the financial adjustment provided by the Constitution and the Surplus Revenue Act.

The view which I take of the matter is expressed in the following extract from an opinion given to the Prime Minister's Department on 22 May 1912⁽²⁾, in reference to a claim by the Premier of Western Australia that the State should be recouped for the use of its courts in recovering penalties under the Defence Act: [matter omitted, being the last five paragraphs of Opinion No. 452].

[Vol. 10, p. 465]

(1) The Commissioner of land tax had presumably opposed a proposal that the Commonwealth should pay part of State Judges' salaries in Land Tax cases.

(2)Opinion No. 452.