No. 332.
53999/39
24
Sir,
པ་་
26 MAY 1939
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
11th May, 1939.
I have the honour to refer to my telegram No.126
1/53664/39 of 17th April, 1939, which read as follows:-
7/535647/37.
1/63984/39.
2.
"Reference Smith's despatch 492 of 1937 second
paragraph. I do not now desire that any candidates
be selected this year for appointment to administrative
service in this Colony. Despatch re creation of
additional posts of Crown Counsel and Magistrate
follows."
As you are aware, the police magistrates in this
Colony have been drawn in the past mainly from the
administrative service. I have reported in my despatch
No.76 of 3rd February, 1939, the constitution of the
magistrates as a sub-department under the Chief Justice
and it is intended that those posts should in future be filled by officers primarily devoted to legal work.
Officers of the administrative cadre are willing to serve
on the bench for a few years and they work hard and
conscientiously there, but naturally they do not study
the science and practice of law as deeply as would men who aim at promotion to the highest legal posts. On
inquiry I find that no administrative officer in this
service who is qualified to apply for transfer to the
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,
&C.,
&C.,
&C.