C
501.
42097
IRECT
REG 4 DEC 00
Government House,
Movember,
Hongkong, 20 November, 1900.
493
sir.
losure:
Novr
Expli
Teate
I have the honour to forward a letter
from Mr.Sercombe Smith, Acting Puisne Judge, in which he asks
for a definite ruling on two points: (a) as to the right of
a Puisne Judge to communicate direct with the Governor; (b)
as to the proper official designation of a Puisne Judge.
2. Mr. Smith puts his arguments very
clearly, as he always does. My experience in all the Colonies
the Governments of which I have administered has been that
کیو
the only officials with whom the Governor corresponded ́di-
rectly were the Chief Justice and the Officer Commanding
Troops, and I have always looked upon the Chief Justice as the
head of the Judicial department. Personally I have no feeling
one way or another, and I think Mr. Smith is right in desiring
to have a definite pronouncement on the matter which
ion should apply to all Colonies alike. As regards paragraph
6 of Mr.Sercombe Smith's letter, in Court the Judges have
equal voices, but the precedence list places the Chief Justice
decis-
and Buimme Judge in a different position, the latter coming
after members of Executive Council.
he Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M. P.
&0., &C..
80..
3.