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seriously impeded by a press of small work which must be attend-
ed to. I imagine that this consideration would apply to the
work of the Shanghai Court.
February would also be a bad month, as Race
week falls in this month. The most convenient month from all
point of view would be March. With regard to the Summary Court
the Puisne Judge agrees with me. 4th. July is open to very great
objection. "From July to the Long Vacation is the busiest time
of the Court in Original Jurisdiction, and if the Appeal Court
were to sit in July, the possibility of deadlocks, which are
frequent now, would be increased. The best month would be
October November after the Long Vacation.
I see from the Attorney-General's remarks
that the dates January and July have been suggested by the Bar.
The suggestion must have been made without full consideration;
and I have no doubt that if the above remarks are submitted to
the profession they will concur in them.
8.
There are many other points of detail
which appear to me to need investigation; but I do not think
that time should be wasted now, as there are two cardinal
points to be decided, and until these are decided it is useless
to consider details.
The first is the fixing the dates on which
the Court of Appeal is to sit. The scheme is not feasible
unless this can be done. But the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs made it a condition that the Judge of Shanghai could
only be lent to the Colony if he were allowed to fix his coming
to Hongkong according as the requirements of his own Court
allowed him. It is obvious that the words 'subject to any
arrangements which may be from time to time made by mutual
arrangement between the Judges' which the Attorney-General has
inserted do not meet this difficulty, as his own remarks show.
I believe that every one is agreed that unless the Appeal Court
can sit at fixed times the scheme should be abandoned.