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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
Magistrates hold preliminary inquiries into indictable offences and, if a prima facie case is made out, the accused are committed for trial at the criminal sessions, which are held once a month.
There is an appeal from the Supreme Court to a Full Court, consisting of two or more judges as directed by the Chief Justice.
Under the Magistrates Ordinance, any person aggrieved may appeal to a judge from the decision of a magistrate. This form of appeal is heard by a single judge, who may direct that the appeal, or any point in it, be considered by the Full Court.
Once more, the appellate jurisdiction had a heavy calendar dealing with 257 criminal appeals and 22 civil appeals. The level of work in the original jurisdiction was not maintained during the year, 495 actions being instituted as against 657 in 1956.
The District Courts, of which two normally sit on Hong Kong Island and two in Kowloon, were again kept extremely busy. The total number of actions instituted, namely 3,157, was the second highest since the inception of these Courts in 1953, the record total being 3,201 for 1955. The District Court has jurisdiction to hear claims up to a value of $5,000 and a special jurisdiction in Workmen's Compensation. The District Court Judges also have a criminal jurisdiction greater than that of Magistrates, which enables them to try certain cases which would otherwise have to be committed to the Supreme Court Sessions. In their criminal jurisdic- tion the District Courts tried 348 persons of whom 294 were convicted, representing an increase of approximately 30% over the previous year.
There are Magistrates' Courts on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, and in the New Territories. The courts in Kowloon hear cases from the whole mainland area south of the Kowloon hills. In the New Territories there are courts