172
with
regard
to it
In obedience to Your Lordship's commands,
An honour to Report.
Government prosecution.
These mistakes have led to serious legal and technical difficulty.
That the case from the first appears to have become commonly known indicates the chances of success were against the Government, partly due to the indiscreet and improper conduct of Mr. Ball while acting as Attorney General of Hong Kong.
The decision to go on with the prosecution was an error, and the determination to proceed was, we think, a mistake also. It is true he had before him a choice of evils, and, although mistaken, he was so naturally placed in circumstances of great difficulty, which he had to determine.
Having determined to proceed, it was a serious mistake to have done so by halves, and to have put into other hands the conduct of the further prosecution of the case.
This led to embarrassing and inconvenient consequences, and we are asked to advise whether an appeal should be applied for in a proceeding which has been most unfortunately carried on and has raised very important constitutional questions by the Judgment of the Chief Justice.
Another unhappy incident in this matter.
During Government...