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Enclo. No. 7
Enclo. No. 8
30128127
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18
Mr. Melbourne, the Deputy Registrar, however, forwarded
his own comments through the Registrar in his letter
of the 14th January (copy enclosed).
7.
Another copy of the Committee's report was
sent to the Chief Justice who replied by his letter
of the 27th January (copy enclosed). As you will see
from the Chief Justice's letter, amendments of certain
statutory rules were contemplated; but the Chief
Justice went on leave shortly after his letter was
written; and, as the cting Chief Justice was not
disposed to alter the existing rules in the absence
of the Chief Justice, no action could be taken until
the recent return of Sir Henry Gollan. The matter
is now being pursued. Another subject was, however,
dealt with by the Chief Justice while on leave · viz.
the question of financial responsibility for the upkeep of a ship under seizure. Reference to your despatches
No. 102 of the 4th April, 1927, and No. 157 of the
8th June, 1927, will show the action taken.
8.
The Colonial Treasurer was instructed to
take action, so far as might be possible, to bring into force the system of book-keeping recommended by
the Committee. It was not possible at the moment to
provide a European Accountant for the Supreme Court Registry; but the Chinese staff was strengthened in March 1927, by the transfer thereto of a Class III accountant, and in May Kr. H.A. Mills, the new accountant for the Post Office, not being urgently required in that Department, was attached to the
Supreme Court as Accountant and, in consultation with
the Colonial Treasurer the accounts of the Supreme
Court Registry have been overhauled and are now reported
by Kr. Messer