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Copy Kinute by the Hon. Mr. Shenton, Unofficial Member of
the Executive Council
This is a most unfortunate matter, it appears to me
from a close perusal of the depositions at the Police Court
and the shorthand transcript of Mr.Brewer's trial at the
Sessions before the Acting Chief Justice, that, the Government
have been placed in a very difficult position.
I believe that
had the matter been dealt with differently, the present
situation might not have arisen.
In due
Brewer himself is one of those unfortunate persons who
creates prejudice by mere propinquity. He was born in Hongkong,
the son of a small bookstall keeper, ultimately went into the
business, subsequently went to England, read for the Bar and
became a Barrister-at-Law, returned to the Colony to practice,
where owing to insufficiency of support, he was unable to
maintain himself in practice without relying on transactions
appertaining more to that of a solicitor then barrister.
course he gave up his professional career for business and
founded in conjunction with others The Instone Banking
Corporation. He was also unfortunate during the war, he
failed to enhance his reputation when before the Conscription
Tribunal, in fact he is one of those unfortunate people against
whom the hand of man seems ever to be directed. After his
return to Europe and whilst he was still in practice, his
health broke down and he had to go away to recoup.
Taking
a broad survey, it would seem as though he must have been
born under an unlucky star which has dogged him throughout
his life, added to which he would appear to suffer from a form
of megalomania which gives him a general distorted outlook
on life and his position in it.
Three charges were preferred against Brewer, both before
the Police Magistrate and in the first instance at the Sessions
before the Acting Chief Justice:-