C.J.O.N.506.
Hong Kong, 24th February 1869.
Tue. 24th Feby.
Chief Justice (Hon. J. Smale)
To
Col. Secy. Hon. J. G. Austin -
Inclosure No. 5 in Governor Sir R. G. MacDonnell's Despatch No. 879 of 3rd April 1869
The deferred argument in relation to the admission of evidence of Constables in similar cases to that maintained by Mr. Deane was set down for their hearing.
I think the Chief Justice should have remarked that I have much been the cause of delay in his getting the Police yearly return of 1868. Any delay should be avoided by calling attention to his letters of the 9th and 14th Feby. - C.J.O. Nos. 404 and 451.
Mr. Austin,
I have only to refer you to the Memo. of 22nd inst., under copy of which paper I received a Report from Mr. Deane, Member of Council, but the copy I filed was constantly kept back in your office hall, and the papers for reference applied for were not sent. I was given a copy entirely for his file.
If I am to be a witness and full statement of the whole plan and execution of the robbery and for the exclusion of witnesses excluded, I cannot and regret it greatly - in them being by order of the Chief Justice.
24th Feb. 1869
A. Labs & A.
Colonial Secretary's Office, 10th March, 1869.
Hong Kong,
In reference to the concluding paragraph of your letter of the instant, referring to your previous letters of the 7th, 14th, and 24th ultimo, I have to explain that there seems to have been some mistake as to your request for a report by the Acting Attorney General on what occurred in Court. It was hitherto supposed that you had asked for the Honorable Chief Justice, Smale -
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