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I submit to Your Lordship that it was not Lord Knutsford's intention so to curtail in any way, except as to new appointments to the service, either as rate or amount, the pension attached to the office of Puisne Judge in Hong Kong; that if such was his intention, it was not expressed in his despatch of 19th June 1891, nor to be implied from anything therein contained; that his sole idea was to prevent any increase in pensions and that it will be a very unjust penalty to inflict to mulet me £146 per annum for the remainder of my life because for 12 months I drew $1200 extra pay as Registrar to cover the extra cost of living in Hong Kong and which I had to spend there as I received it.
I further submit that, the tenor of the despatches could not infer that any right or privilege then attached to future promotion was to be taken away from me and therefore I never accepted any restrictions or conditions.
18. Should there be however any doubt in Your Lordship's mind as to the justice of my claim, I would still pray Your decision in my favour and would ask that my case should be dealt with generously on the following grounds: that it is an exceptional case and that it is not at all probable that your decision could hereafter be quoted as a precedent.
19. The grounds I would urge are the following:- that I have served beyond the number of years necessary to obtain a full pension...