67 282.  In recommending this, the evaluator is in no way trying to dilute the importance of legal analysis or legal principle in the deliberations of the Law Commission.   As  the  former  Minister  of  Justice,  Tony  Ryall,  said  in  an  interview  with  the evaluator the Commissioners are a distinguished body of jurists.  For that reason he felt that the Law Commission was a useful place for the Government to direct knotty legal problems that it encountered.    283.  A former Commissioner Professor Richard Sutton also made the point in written comments to the evaluator: I think all this implies that  the primary expertise Commissioners need is in law.    They must be aware, and be able to articulate at the drop of a hat, the demands and limitations  of  law  and  legislation.    They  should  also  have  a  sufficient  general knowledge   of   law   to   appreciate   when   a   proposed   reform   has   wider   legal ramifications.    To  that  end,  they  should  be  able,  when  confronted  with  complex sets of laws, to discern what is essential and what is peripheral.  This allows them to direct further research where necessary, and (even more importantly) to redirect research  when  it  has  become  useless  or  irrelevant.    And  they  need  to  have sufficient  legal  skill  and  credibility  to  deal  with  the  kind  of  petty  objections professionals often make when confronted with change.  Put more positively, they will have to persuade lawyers that there’s a better way.    284.  Securing interdisciplinary expertise may not be easy.  Recruiting the appropriate people will require care.  It can be achieved by four routes:    ·   appointment of a Commissioner;    ·   appointment of researchers;    ·   the use of consultants;    ·   a combination of the above.    Matching the expertise to the project is also important.  The evaluator believes the development of such interdisciplinary work is the key to future law reform in New Zealand.    Project Size 285.  There  is  a  further  recommendation  related  to  the  multidisciplinary  angle  of approach.  It relates to the size of the projects that the Law Commission takes on.    286.  The Statute Book of New Zealand is vast.  It has more than 700 statutes upon it.   All Departments and Ministries have some concern with legislation.  There is no