51
426 persons were committed to stand their trial at the Criminal Sessions of whom 347 were convicted. Two defendants failed to appear and Bench Warrants were issued for their arrest, their bail being estreated.
A right of appeal exists in all the above jurisdictions. Appeals are heard by a Full Court consisting of two or more judges. Under the Magistrates Ordinance, 1932, as amended by Ordinance No. 19 of 1935, any person aggrieved can appeal to a judge from the decision of a magistrate in a summary way. Appeals in this event are heard by a single judge although a right of appeal from the single judge to a Full Court exists.
Criminal: There were seven appeals against conviction or sentence on indictment at the Criminal Sessions.
Magistrates: There were thirteen appeals against conviction or sentence by the magistrates.
Civil: There were eight appeals from judgments of the Supreme Court judges.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court also acts in the capacity of Official Trustee, Official Administrator and Registrar of Companies, administering trust estates and deceased's estates and registering companies under the Companies Ordinance, 1932. Bills of Sale are also registered with the Registrar.
The number of Trust Estates in the hands of the Official Trustee at the end of the year was twenty-one.
During the year twenty-five deceased's estates were taken into the custody of the Official Administrator and thirty-seven were wound up.
Eighty-four new companies were registered, bringing the total number of companies on the register at the end of the year to 764 of which nine were in the course of liquidation. Fifty-six were incorporated outside the Colony but carry on business within the Colony. Three further companies ceased to do business during the year.
Seventeen companies were removed from the register by reason of the cessation of their business. No company was transferred from the Hong Kong to the Shanghai Register. Five companies were transferred from the Shanghai to the Hong Kong Register.
THE LOWER COURTS.
The lower civil courts are the land courts in the Northern and Southern districts of the New Territories, with jurisdiction over land cases in those districts, and the small debts courts of the same two districts. In these courts the District Officers sit to hear land and small debts cases.
The lower criminal courts are the magistrates' courts, two for Hong Kong island and a small area on the mainland opposite Shaukiwan, two for Kowloon, including the whole area south of the Kowloon hills, and one each for the two districts of the New Territories, in which the District Officers are the magistrates. A third court was in operation from the 20th of September to the end of the year at the Hong Kong Magistracy and from the 26th of September to the 18th of November at the Kowloon Magistracy.
The following figures show the amount of work done by the lower courts in 1938-
Civil:
District Officer, North, Land Court 127 cases. Small Debts Court 125 District Officer, South, Land Court 40 Small Debts Court 4751
426 persons were committed to stand their trial at the Criminal Sessions of whom 347 were convicted. Two defendants failed to appear and Bench Warrants were issued for their arrest, their bail being estreated.
A right of appeal exists in all the above jurisdictions. Appeals are board by a Full Court consisting of two or more judges. Under the Magistrates Ordinance, 1932, as amended by Ordinance No. 19 of 1935, any person aggrieved can appeal to a judge from the decision of a magistrate in a summary way. Appeals in this event are heard by a single judge although a right of appeal from the single judge to a Full Court exists.
Criminal: There were seven appeals against conviction or sentence on indict- ment at the Criminal Sessions.
Magistrates: There were thirteen appeals against conviction or sentence by the magistrates.
Civil: There were eight appeals from judgments of the Supreme Court judges.
The Registrar of the Supreme Court also acts in the capacity of Official Trustee, Official Administrator and Registrar of Companies, administering trust estates and deceased's estates and registering companies under the Companies Ordinance, 1932. Bills of Sale are also registered with the Registrar.
The number of Trust Estates in the hands of the Official Trustee at the end of the year was twenty-one.
During the year twenty-five deceased's estates were taken into the custody of the Official Administrator and thirty-seven were wound up.
Eighty-four new companies were registered, bringing the total number of companies on the register at the end of the year to 764 of which nine were in the course of liquidation. Fifty-six were incorporated outside the Colony but carry on business within the Colony. Three further companies ceased to do business. during the year.
Seventeen companies were removed from the register by reason of the cessation of their business. No company was transferred from the Hong Kong to the Shanghai Register. Five companies were transferred from the Shanghai to the Hong Kong Register.
THE LOWER COURTS.
The lower civil courts are the land courts in the Northern and Southern districts of the New Territories, with jurisdiction over land cases in those districts, and the small debts courts of the same two districts. In these courts the District Officers sit to hear land and small debts cases.
The lower criminal courts are the magistrates' courts, two for Hong Kong island and a small area on the mainland opposite Shaukiwan, two for Kowloon, including the whole area south of the Kowloon hills, and one each for the two districts of the New Territories, in which the District Officers are the magistrates. A third court was in operation from the 20th of September to the end of the year at the Hong Kong Magistracy and from the 26th of September to the 18th of Novem- ber at the Kowloon Magistracy.
The following figures show the amount of work done by the lower courts in
1938-
Civil:
District Officer, North, Land Court
Small Debts Court
District Officer, South, Land Court
Small Debts Court
127 cases.
125
40
47
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.