CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 123

COP Y.

No. 9.

120

Supreme Court,

Hongkong, July 31st., 1903.

The Honourable

Sir,

I have the honour to inform you that in

compliance with His Excellency the Governor's directions as con-

veyed in your letter 5595/1908 G.S.O., of the 29th. instant,

I offered in his Chambers this day at 11 A.M. to His Honour the Chief Justice (the date and time being fixed by him) an unquali-

fied apology "for the disrespectful language used by me in his

Chambers on the 7th. instant, in the presence of all the gentle-

men who were present when the disrespect was offered.

2.

V

While now tendering my thanks to the Govern-

ment for the consideration that this painful matter has received

at its hands for 1 may say that the origin of the contretemps

was owing to the Chief Justice taking exception to what had

heretofore been the practice of the Court and therefore the law

of the Court, and for which my subordinates (a deserving body

who were equally attacked with myself) were in no wise to be

blamed, but whose responsibility I at once took upon my own

shoulders although no part of my own sphere of duty and in

reference to which Mr. Seth, my only Deputy being present, could

have offered every explanation had he been called upon, instead

of my being unnecessarily disturbed from my Chambers I beg now

most respectfully having regard to the great wrong done to me by

His Honour Sir William Goodman, to enquire what steps the Govern-

ment intend to take in reference to the insult offered me and

the aggressive assault committed upon my person by His Honour

Mr.

The Colonial Secretary.