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take the monthly Criminal Sessions (which during the years
1904 and 1905 occupied on an average under 24 days a month)
setting the Chief Justice free to do the Civil Work. I am
informed that the sitting which the Puisne Judge has by
statute to hold on Friday to fix the cases in the Summary
Court for the ensuing week only occupies a few hours of the
morning.
5.
The Chief Justice's argument that
in cases in which there is a complicated issue of fact it
would be better to have two Judges sitting instead of one
in Original Jurisdiction is also one for the consideration
of Your Lordship's legal advisers. As far as I am aware it
is unusual for more than one Judge to sit for trial of cases
in the first instance.
6.
In the 6th. paragraph of his
letter of the 15th. May the Chief Justice refers to having
previously addressed me on the great inconvenience of
holding Criminal Sessions every month. I annex a copy of
his minute on the subject dated the 22nd. January, 1906,
of a letter in which on the 27th. of that month I caused
the matter to be referred to the Hongkong General Chamber
of Commerce for their opinion and of their reply dated the
23rd. February on which I decided to make no change in the existing
Blosure 6.
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