Sittings at Cham-
bers.
said Supreme Court; the said Sessions to commence ou the 15th day of February, the 15th day of April, the 15th day of June, and the 15th of December, in every year, and shall ter- minate on the last day of each of such months respectively: Provided, that whenever either of the said days shall happen to commence or end upon a Sunday, the Sessions shall com- mence on the Monday following, and end on the Saturday preceding: Provided also, that if at any time it shall appear to the Chief Justice of the said Court necessary or expedient that a Criminal Session should be held at any other or dif- ferent period, it shall be lawful for the said Chief Justice so to hold the same, upon giving reasonable notice thereof.
IV. It is further ordered, That (except during the months of July, August, September, and October,) parties shall be at liberty to apply to the Chief Justice of the said Supreme Court at Chambers for time to plead leave to amend, and such other matters as may be brought before him by any Rule or Order of the said Court; and that the mode of procuring the attendance of any party before the said Chief Justice at Cham- bers, shall be by Summons, to be taken out from the Regis- trar's Office, which Summons shall state the names and des- cription of the parties, and the object of the attendance, and shall be signed by the Registrar or his Deputy.
Office hours and V. It is further ordered, That the Offices of the said holidays.
Supreme Court shall be open every day during term, between the hours of ten in the morning and four in the afternoon, and out of term, between the hours of ten in the morning and three in the afternoon, except upon Sundays, and the holi- days hereinafter mentioned, and the months of July, August, September, and October, for the issuing of processes, the filing of affidavits, petitions, declarations, pleas, answers, and other pleadings, and granting copies thereof, and for doing and performing all other necessary acts, duties, and things in the said offices and the holidays in the said offices shall be New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Her Majesty's Birth- day, Ascension day, Whit Monday, the anniversary of Her Majesty's Coronation, and Christmas Day, and the day after.
Commencement
of actions.
2.--PRACTICE AND PLEADING.
VI. It is further ordered, That all suits and actions of a common law nature, shall be commenced in the said Supreme Court by summons, or other process in the nature of a writ of and that at the time of issuing such writ of sum- mons the plaintiff shall lodge, with the Registrar of the Court, a short statement, or abstract, in writing, of the cause of action, and the Registrar of the Court shall indorse, on the back of
summons;
such
such writ of summons, the amount of the debt or damages sought to be recovered, together with the sum due for costs: and in every suit or action which shall be hereafter com- menced in the said Court, where the Plaintiff shall complain by Attorney, the Attorney of the party complaining shall, before any process is sued out to compel the appearance of any person to answer any complaint or demand, file his warrant or authority to sue, signed by the party complaining, with the Registrar of the said Court.
Warrant to sue.
cess.
VII. It is further ordered, That all Civil process to be sued Suing out Pro. out of the said Supreme Court shall be issued by the Registrar thereof (for which the warrant to sue shall be his authority,) and shall be endorsed with the name and address of the Attor- ney or party suing out the same, and shall be dated on the day on which it is issued, and shall be made returnable by the Sheriff immediately after the service or execution thereof; Provided, that no such process shall be issued against the Governor, or the Officer administering the Government of the Colony for the time being, without leave of the Court, upon motion, first had and obtained: Provided also, that no such process shall be sued out by or against the Chief Justice of the said Court, but where any demand or complaint is made by or against the said Chief Justice, the same shall be made and presented by petition to the Governor, or Officer adininister- ing the Government of Hongkong, in his Executive Council,
SUBL-
VIII. It is further ordered, That the common process of Writ of the said Court to compel the appearance of any person to mons to appear in
ordinary cases. answer any complaint or demand in all Civil suits and actions, where there can be no arrest of the Defendant, shall be by writ of summons directed to the Sheriff of the Colony, (except where the said Sheriff is a party, and then to some fit and proper person nominated by the said Court, requiring the said Sheriff (or such other person) to command the Defendant, that he render to the Plaintiff the sum or matter in question, or perform that which the Plaintiff claims or demands from him; and, in default thereof, to summon the Defendant, that before the said Court within eight days after the appear service of the said writ, inclusive of the day of such service, to shew cause why he hath not done so, which said writ of sum- nous shall, as near as may be, be in one or other of the forms, according to the nature of the suit or action, in the Schedule hereunto annexed, marked No. 1.
he
Service of Pra-
IX. It is further ordered, That in all cases where by law there can be no arrest of the Defendant, a copy of the writ of cess. summons shall be served, either personally on the said Defen- dant, or by leaving the same at his dwelling-house or place of abode, or at his counting-house or place of business.
X.
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