Enclosure 2 to Governor's Despatch No. 390 of the 4th October, 1901.
Recd 7 NOV 01
Minute by Mr. Dyer Ball.
The best test of these rules will be their practical application and when this happens it will doubtless be found that they will require additions, amplifications, or modifications.
It is, therefore, somewhat difficult, without seeing them in actual working, to suggest alterations. I, however, proceed to note a few points that occur to me.
I think business documents should take precedence of letters. Chinese school-boys are taught to write letters and understand their meaning, but they are left in utter ignorance of the simplest business document. Take the course of work in the Supreme Court and for every letter produced there will be ten or even a hundred business papers or documents put in, such as Promissory Notes, Bills of Particulars, Ledgers, Cash Books, Day Books, Money Loan Association Books, etc.
3.
It would be well that the students should be attached for longer or shorter periods to the Offices at the Supreme Court, as there they will get a great deal of useful practice in interviewing intending litigants taking down their statements. At first, of course, they would simply listen to all this going on, and then bit by bit they should be allowed to do this work themselves until finally with practice they would be able to interpret even affidavits.
These are all the observations that occur to me at the moment on the rules themselves; but, if I may say so, I trust that the formation of this scheme will not prevent the employment of any competent men with a knowledge of several dialects should such present themselves at any future time, as a Chinese from the Straits with a knowledge of several dialects gained by constant use of them would be worth more than half-a-dozen Chinese who try to pick up these different speeches in Hongkong.
(Sgd.) J. Dyer Ball.
14th May, 1901.
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Enclosure 2 te Governor's Despatch No. 390
14
of the 4th. October, 1901.
Rect 7 NOV 01
Minate by Mr. Dyer Ball.
The best test of these rules will be their
practical application and when this happens it will doubtless be found that they will require additions, amplifications, or modifications.
It is, therefore, somewhat difficult, without seeing them in actual working, to suggest alterations. I, however, proceed to note a few points that occur to me.
素C。
I think business documents should take precedence of letters. Chinese school-boys are taught to write lettere and understand their meaning, but they are left in utter ignorance of the sis- plest business document. Take the course of work in the Supreme Court and for every letter produced there will be tea or even a hundred business papers or documents put in, such as Promissory Notes, Bills of Particulars, Ledgera, Cash Books, Day Books, Honey Loan Association Books, de, der,
3.
It would be well that the students should be attached for longer or shorter periods to the Offices at the Supreme Court, as there they will get a great deal of useful practice in interviewing intending litigants taking down their statements. At first, of course, they would simply listen to all this going on, and then bit by bit they should be allowed to do this work themselves until finally with practice they would be able to interpret even affidavits.
་
These are all the observations that occur to me at the soment on the rules themselves; but, if I may say so, I trust that the formation of this scheme will not prevent the employment of any competent men with a knowledge of several dialects should such present then- selves at any future time, as a Chinese from the Straits with a knowledge of several dialects gained by constant use of them would be worth more than half-a-dozen Chinese who try to pick up these different speeches in Hongkong.
(Sa.) J. Dyer Ball.
14th. May, 1901,
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