CO129-265 - Public Offices & Others - 1894 — Page 639

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Frelton, DANBURY,

August 27th, 1894.

631

My Dear Lucas,

The alteration in the criminal jurisdiction of the Stipendiary Magistrate in Hong Kong which I mentioned to you the other day was effected by the

Magistrates Ordinance 1890. The limit of punishment

by a Magistrate had previously been 6 months but by

the above Ordinance it was extended to 12 months the

list of offences justiceable in a Magistrates Court

being at the same time enlarged. The Ordinance had

been prepared at the Governor's request by a Committee

consisting of the two Judges, the Attorney General, tho

Crown Solicitor, the Stipendiary Magistrate and Mr.

Francis, Q.C. The Committee in their Bill left the

power of punishment where it was viz: at 6 months, but in the passage of the Bill through the Legislative

Council the limit was extended to 12 months generally

and this without any discussion or reference to the

Committee responsible for the measure. The "Daily

Press contains what professes to be a verbatim report of the meeting of the Legislative Council where the alteration was suggested and adopted. A reference to the report will show that apparently very little importance was attached to the alteration.

My attention was first drawn to the matter by the great falling off in the number of cases sent

to

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