She projected retirements of permanent and acting judges for the next 10 years and said the total attrition rate for permanent judges over 10 years was 36 per cent and for acting warranted judges, 78 per cent.
"The large number of permanent judges retiring from 2018 onwards is a significant risk for district courts."
She was seeking the immediate extension of an acting warrant, a new acting warrant and the appointment of two new judges to Auckland to support the work work of judges particularly in South Auckland.
Under questioning in Parliament yesterday by Mr Chauvel, Mr Finlayson said he had doubts about the number of 23 judges being surplus as stated by officials.
"That figure has been mentioned. For myself, I have doubts as to whether it is a correct figure. As to the number of judges it will always depend on the circumstances."
He said the advice had been no more than a "preliminary draft" and more work was being done on it.
He said it was not in the public interest to comment on any discussion he had met with the judiciary.
Mr Chauvel asked for an assurance that neither he nor his ministerial colleagues had admonished any judge for speaking about Government policy proposals or for making submissions to select committees.
Mr Finlayson said he did not know what he was referring to.
Mr Chauvel told the Herald later that some of judges believed the cutback in the numbers was a response to criticisms judges had made publicly to criminal law reform.