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Ian from the date that the Ordinan must hav
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clause. & did not compen ken.
a reproduction of the glossen Carefully as Jongst & how den.
As
2018
R31/3
A
COPY.
Frelton, DANBURY,
August 27th, 1894.
631
My Dear Lucas,
The alteration in the criminal jurisdiction of the Stipendiary Magistrate in Hong Kong which I mentioned to you the other day was effected by the
Magistrates Ordinance 1890. The limit of punishment
by a Magistrate had previously been 6 months but by
the above Ordinance it was extended to 12 months the
list of offences justiceable in a Magistrates Court
being at the same time enlarged. The Ordinance had
been prepared at the Governor's request by a Committee
consisting of the two Judges, the Attorney General, tho
Crown Solicitor, the Stipendiary Magistrate and Mr.
Francis, Q.C. The Committee in their Bill left the
power of punishment where it was viz: at 6 months, but in the passage of the Bill through the Legislative
Council the limit was extended to 12 months generally
and this without any discussion or reference to the
Committee responsible for the measure. The "Daily
Press contains what professes to be a verbatim report of the meeting of the Legislative Council where the alteration was suggested and adopted. A reference to the report will show that apparently very little importance was attached to the alteration.
My attention was first drawn to the matter by the great falling off in the number of cases sent
to
M