464
no
compensation claims as I have complete record of the work done,
but from the passing of the Appeal Ordinance in August to the final decree in each case the Bills of Costs have been taxed by the Registrar and the Solicitor's costs as against the Respondent amount to $1,625., in the U and K case and to $1,492 in Ho Lap Fun's case a total of $3,118.
16.
The amount of clerical work involved in these cases could only be judged by persons acquainted with the details of a Solicitor's office - complete copies of all the documents had to be supplied for both judges, two Counsel and the Respondents (2 in one case and 1 in the other) and the costs of such copies alone would probably amount to $1,000.
17.
Last year I was only allowed $70 a month for one clerk, and as his time was fully engaged on the ordinary Crown work my partner and I are $1,000 out of pocket in respect of the clerical work alone.
18.
I have no record of the amount of time I spent over these cases but can safely say that they occupied a very large proportion of my time during the 9 months from April to December.
19.
In addition to these cases, in July I was instructed to represent the Crown in the Land Court in respect of the numerous conflicting claims to foreshore and waste land between Samshuipo and Laichikok an area of about 14 miles in length and extending from the edge of the cultivated land far out into the deep sea the value of which to the Government I have no means of estimating, but probably it exceeds that of both the Kowloon Bay claims put together, as the Cheungshawan District is much more sought after by the Chinese.
20.
The remarks I have made above as to the difficulties of the Kowloon cases apply with equal force to this case