CO129-264 - Governor Sir Robinson & Public Offices - 1894 [9-12] — Page 471

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

11.

I do not say the Magistrates do not occasionally make mistakes but I believe on the whole they arrive at quite as correct conclusions as the ordinary Hongkong juries (composed of a striking variety of nationalities) in spite even of the careful and painstaking summing up of able judges. HongKong Special jurors do not sit in Criminal cases as in England and although it is competent for the Attorney General to require a special jury "this is naturally only in exceptional cases.

12.

The question is simply "would justice be administered on the whole more satisfactorily in Hongkong, if the Magistrates' power of inflicting summary punishment under sec. 80 of 10 of 1890 were cut down from 12 to 6 months (except perhaps in cases of a plea of guilty)?" If so it should be done. If not, whatever the English law may be, I see no reason for altering the Hongkong law.

13.

The Chinese knowing the hard lot of witnesses in China are reluctant to give evidence in cases in Court and if they have not only to appear before the magistrate, but some weeks afterwards to lose a lot of time in appearing in the Supreme Court their objections are greatly increased. Time with them is so valuable.

14.

Moreover, in certain cases the witnesses are peculiarly liable...

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11.I do not say the Magistrates do not occasionally make mistakes but I believe on the whole they arrive at quite as correct conclusions as the ordinary Hongkong juries (composed of a striking variety of nationalities) in spite even of the careful and painstaking summing up of able judges. HongKong Special jurors do not sit in Criminal cases as in England and although it is competent for the Attorney General to require a special jury "this is naturally only in exceptional cases.12.The question is simply "would justice be administered on the whole more satisfactorily in Hongkong, if the Magistrates' power of inflicting summary punishment under sec. 80 of 10 of 1890 were cut down from 12 to 6 months (except perhaps in cases of a plea of guilty)?" If so it should be done. If not, whatever the English law may be, I see no reason for altering the Hongkong law.13.The Chinese knowing the hard lot of witnesses in China are reluctant to give evidence in cases in Court and if they have not only to appear before the magistrate, but some weeks afterwards to lose a lot of time in appearing in the Supreme Court their objections are greatly increased. Time with them is so valuable.14.Moreover, in certain cases the witnesses are peculiarly liable...Page 466 appears to be delineated by OCR scanning metadata, the text after "liable" seems to be corrupted and not related to the context, hence it is left as is.The last sentence is cut off and followed by non-related text, likely due to OCR errors.
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11.I do not say the Magistrates do not becasionally make mistakes but I believe on the whole they arrive at quite as correct conclusions as the ordinary Hongkong juries (composed of a striking variety of nationalities) in spite even of the careful and painstaking summing up of able judges. HongKong Special jurors do not sitJurors in Criminal cases as in England and although it is competent for the Attorney General to require a 'pecial. jury "this is naturally only in exceptional with common12.Cases.doneThe question is simply "would justice be administered "on the whole morein satisfactorily Houghong, if the Magistrates "power of inflicting summary_ punishment466 punishment under sea. 80 of 10 041890 were cut down from 12 to "6 months (except perhaps in cases of a plea of guilty ) ?." If so it- should be done. If not whatever the English law may be I see no reason for altering the Hongkong law.13.The Chinese knowing the hard lot of witnesses in China./forward to give evidence in eases in Court and if they have, not only to appear before the magistrate, but some weeks afterwards to lose a lot of time in appearing in the Supreme Court their objections are greatly increased. Time- with theen is so 14.money.Moreover, in certain cases, the witnesses are -peculiarly liable to વિના મારે મોસમ આ
2026-05-27 17:57:55 · Baseline
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11.

I do not say the

Magistrates do not becasionally make mistakes but I believe on the whole they arrive at quite

as correct conclusions as

the ordinary Hongkong juries (composed of a striking variety of nationalities) in spite even of the careful and painstaking summing up of able judges. HongKong Special jurors do not sit Jurors in Criminal cases as in England and although it is competent for the Attorney General to require a 'pecial. jury

"this is naturally only in exceptional

with common

12.

Cases.

done

The question is simply

"would justice be administered

"on the whole more

in

satisfactorily

Houghong, if the Magistrates "power of inflicting summary_ punishment

466

punishment under sea. 80 of 10 041890

were cut down from 12 to "6 months (except perhaps in cases of a plea of guilty ) ?." If so it - should be done. If not whatever the English law may be I see no reason for altering the Hongkong

law.

13.

The Chinese knowing the hard lot of witnesses in China.

/

for

ward to give evidence in eases in Court and if they have, not only to appear before the magistrate, but some weeks afterwards to lose a lot of time in appearing in the Supreme Court their objections are greatly increased. Time

-

with theen is so

14.

money.

Moreover, in certain cases,

the witnesses are

-peculiarly liable

to

વિના મારે મોસમ આ

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