No. 3251/1927.
Sir,
$9
Chief Justice's Chambers,
Courts of Justice,
HONG KONG.
20th February, 1932.
I have the honour to acknowledge Your
Excellency's letter of the 15th February, 1932,
relating to Ordinance No. 21 of 1931.
It is very difficult to devise an ideally
perfect arrangement for informing accused persons
My
of their rights with regard to procedure.
own practice, at the actual trial, is to inform
the accused person of the three courses open to
him, i.e., (1) Evidence on oath involving the
liability of cross-examination, (2) an unsworn
statement from the dock not involving cross-
examination, and (3) silence. In a suitable case
I should also inform him of his right to address
the jury on the case. The problem of the best
arrangement at the preliminary inquiry before the magistrate is not necessarily identical, and I am not prepared to suggest any amendment of the present law, as recently amended by the above Ordinance.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's most obedient servant,
(sd.) J. H. KEMP.
Chief Justice.
His Excellency,
Sir William Peel, K.C.M.G., K.B.E.,
Governor.