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No. 7.] THE ORDINANCES OF HONGKONG : [A.D. 1899
watchmen and other officers, if any, so directed by the Governor, all rules made under this Ordinance in force in their respective Districts and Sub-districts.
Constitution of District and Sub-district Courts.
Decisions of Court.
Jurisdiction of Court in civil and criminal matters.
Local Tribunals in Districts and Sub-districts.
11. (1.) The Governor-in-Council may establish local tribunals in any Districts or Sub-districts brought under the operation of this Ordinance, with such jurisdiction as is hereinafter set forth. Such tribunals shall be called District Courts or Sub-district Courts, as the case may be.
(2.) A District Court shall be presided over by the Chairman of the District Committee or such other officer as the Governor may appoint to act as President, and such President shall be assisted by the members of the District Committee or by a quorum thereof, consisting of not less than three of such members.
(3.) A Sub-district Court shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Sub-district Committee or such other officer as the Governor may appoint to act as President, and such President shall be assisted by the members of the Sub-district Committee or by a quorum thereof, consisting of not less than two of such members.
(4.) A District Court shall be a Court of Appeal from any Sub-district Court situated within its District. In cases, however, which do not fall within the jurisdiction of any Sub-district Court, the District Court which possesses jurisdiction shall be a court of first instance.
12. The decision of any such Court shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members, but, in case of an equality of votes, the President shall have a casting vote in addition to his original vote.
13. The President, assisted by the other members of the Court as hereinbefore prescribed, shall sit in open Court, at such times and places as occasion may require or the Governor may prescribe, to try breaches of any rules made under this Ordinance and also to exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction in the cases hereinafter described, if the parties thereto are natives or if the parties thereto, whether natives or not, consent in writing to their case being tried by such Court; that is to say, --
(1.) civil jurisdiction in all cases in which the debt, damage, or demand does not exceed one hundred dollars, and the party defendant is a resident within the District or Sub-district, as the case may be, over which the Court has jurisdiction or in which the cause of action has arisen, wholly or as to any part, within such District or Sub-district and also in all cases in which the title to, interest in, or right to the possession of, any land or immovable property is in dispute, provided the value of such land or immovable property, or of the particular