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involved in the proposition that the practising Bar should be consulted on the question of the appointment of a person to be a judge. The Committee conceded that the question of consultation with the Bar was not casy, but fult that in the circumstances of Hong Kong consultation was
desirable.
Appointments of Puisne Judges from Practising Bar.
The Committee suggested that members of the practising Bar
They should not bu excluded from appointment to the Supreme Court Bench. did not suggest that the present systen under which members of the Legal and Judicial services are appointed to the Supreme Court Bench should bo discontinued, but were asking only that when a vacancy occurred members of the practising Bar should be considered along with other candidates. They were not pressing for an immediate appointuent to be made from the Bar. They were only concerned that it should be accepted in principle that members of the practising Bar would be eligible for consideration. Mr. McPetrie said that there were precedents in other territories for naking appointuents to the Supreme Court Bench from members of the practising Bar. He pointed out, however, that in those territories it was generally true to say that nenbors of the practising Bar were also
Mr. McPetrio said recruited nore freely into the lower judicial posts. that, as he understood it. there was at the moment nothing in law to preclude a nonber of the practising Bar from being appointed to the Supreme Court Bench. He would, however, give further thought to tho
representations of the Committee.
Para. 2. RECRUITMENT TO LOWER ECHELON OF LEGAL SERVICE.
Pay rates unattractivo to local practitioners.
Disproportion of expatriate benefits to basic pay.
The Committee said that the lower posts in the Legal and
Judicirl services did not attract members of the practising Bar becɛ"se the raves of pay vore unattractive as nenbers of 'he Bar appointed 1 such posts would not qualify for the "fringe" benefits which an expatriate
gets, such as Government housing, long leave on full pay, leave passages
and education allowances. The Committee thought that the denial of thes、
"fringe" benefits (which are substantial and night amount in value to
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