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have caused much comment by the Public and no little scandal. Therefore, I think a statement of the leading facts should be put before Your Lordship.
2. The leave of absence for a fortnight or three weeks from the 10th Instant having been obtained by the Attorney General, it became necessary to appoint some one to act for him at the Criminal Sessions of the 18th Instant. Mr Justice Ball, whose extremely obliging offer to act as Police Magistrate I have already reported in my despatch No. 246 of 12th Instant, consented to act during the short interval and was likely to be generally available to advise the Government on matters not before him judicially, and to do any work usually devolving on the Attorney General.
3. For the purpose of bringing a criminal case under the cognizance of the Supreme Court, it is necessary under the 4th Section of Ordinance 3 of 1865, in the absence of the Attorney General, that somebody should be nominated and appointed by His Excellency the Governor to sign the Informations, which by other provisions of the Ordinance should be ready five days before the sitting of the Court.
4. The Attorney General left on Sunday the 10th Instant, and Mr Ball, having drawn attention to the provisions of the Ordinance, waited on me at my Office on Tuesday the 12th Instant, and was nominated and appointed by me to sign the Informations required by the Ordinance. He subsequently