and that in addition they be paid "compensation" for alterations
in their alleged terms of service.
The Bar Association was not
at any stage asked by the said Petitioners to comment on the
Petition or the views expressed therein and
came to know of its
Even at the date hereof the Bar
existence recently by chance.
Committee has not seen a copy of the said Petition.
15.
The Bar Committee has no wish to baulk the just
ambitions of able and experienced magistrates and recognizes the dangers to the proper administration of justice if morale within the ranks of the magistracy were to be seriously underminded. What the Bar Committee finds unacceptable is the contention that where a practising barrister of ability and experience is
available, he should be excluded from consideration for appointment to high judicial office simply because he is not a.
member of the Government Service.
16.
The Bar Committee is strongly of the opinion that appointment to judicial office in Hong Kong should be based on merit and that the public interest is best served by selection from persons best endowed with the necessary judicial qualities. Amongst the matters for consideration must be (besides "seniority") a profound knowledge and appreciation of the local conditions, a grasp and understanding of the whole range of the law, a familiarity with the practice and procedure of the Courts.
The Bar Committee does not accept that these qualities are not
to be found at present at the Bar.
17.
An element for consideration is the fact that the legal
profession in Hong Kong is at present in a
state of flux.
Britain's entry into the European Economic Community would
undoubtedly have the effect in the long run of causing the
profession to be less orientated towards Britain.
The emergence
of Hong Kong qualified practitioners (if the incentives for the law graduates to join the profession are sufficient) will cause
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