CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 162

Nos

159

The China Mail.

HONG KONG, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1903.

EDITORIAL COMMENT.

LEGAL

CHANGES.

It is interesting and sometimes amusing to note the shuffling of the cards in connection

with acting appointments in Hong- kong. Even an absence of only two months on the part of the worthy Chief, Justice causes a Autter in the legal dovecot. Sir Wm. Goodman goes to Japan for eight or nine weeks, and the honour of occupying the seat of the Chief Justice even for that short period. is warmly contested. The old question so frequently raised, that the Attorney General can claim the substantive post by right, was put forward, and Sir Henry Berkeley ascends the Bench, his own duties being performed meantime by Mr E. H. Sharp, K.C. There is a !certain amount of dislocation caused by this, although the learned Attorney General obtains the satisfaction of hav- ing made the point in his own favour, But no dislocation whatever need have: been caused had H. E. the Governor done what has been done before-ac- cepted the services of His Honour Justice Wise, who was, we doubt not, quite prepared to do the double duty for the short time of bis colleague's absence. Mr Wise has acted as Chief Justice several times, and always with. marked ability; and it seems a pity he was not called upon once again to do so, while doing his own work as well, and thus save the double official changes.