to 12 months for obtaining $12 by false pretences after having had 6 months previously. The officers ship and it is always,
witnesses were on board a desirable to detain such witnesses for the Criminal Sessions unless in very serious cases.
Early in 1893 a case of housebreaking by 7 Chinese occurred upon which I reported at the time, noting the Magistrate's mistake as to jurisdiction and some laxities in the conduct of the case and in the law of evidence. These were promptly remedied when pointed out to him, and he reheard the case and sent the accused for trial. These housebreakers were convicted and sentenced in the Supreme Court, 4 of them by the Chief Justice to the same sentence as the Magistrate had inflicted and the other three to a less punishment by Mr. Justice Ackroyd.
I have not seen the details of the cases since that year.
On the whole, seeing that the Government last year, having considered the matter, were not in favour of diminishing the power of the magistrates, and looking at the balance of advantages and disadvantages, personally I am in favour of retaining the law as it stands at present in spite of the opposite view of the Chief Justice, for whose opinion, however, I have the greatest respect. If the majority of prisoners, witnesses, and jurors were English, I should agree...
to 12 months for obtaining $12 by false pretences after having had 6 months previously. The
officers ship and it is always,
witnesses were
a
on board
desirable to detain such witness_
es
for the Criminal dessions
unless in
18.
very
serious cases.
Early in 1893 a case of
which
7 chinese occurred upon I reported at the time, the Magis. trate's mistake as to jurisdiction
evidence were
re
and some laxities in the conduct of the ease and in the law of
promptly remedied when pointed out to him by his rehearing
and sending the for trial. These housebreakers
case
were convicted and sentenced
to
in the Supreme Court, 4 of them by the Chief Justice the same sentence as the Magis-
trate
468
trate had inflicted and the other three to a less punishment by Mnr. Justice Ackroyd.
I have not seen the
19.
details of the
reported last
20.
cases since de
·year.
On the whole, seeing ~ that the Government last year, having considered the matter,
were not in favour of diminish ing the power of the magistrates, and looking at the balance of advantages and disadvantages, personally 2 am in favour of retaining the law as it stands at present in spite of the opposite view of the Chief Justice for whose opinion, however, I have the greatest respect. If the majority of prisoners, witnesses and justos
English I should
were
agree
with
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