CO129-348 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [7-10] — Page 568

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Enclosure 1.

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41841

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Chambers,Ą NA OG

Supreme Court, Hongkong,

5th. October, 1908.

564

sir,

I have the honour to forward, in triplicate

as requested, for transmission to the Secretary of State, my

explanations with regard to my action in writing to the "China

Mail" on the subject of the extension of the Vacations of the

Court.

2.

I take this opportunity of requesting Your

Excellency to introduce an Ordinance into Council repealing

Section 11 of Ordinance 5 of 1898 for the following reasons.

The circumstances in which I made in Decem

-ber, 1907, an Order under this Ordinance extending the

Vacation were such as in my opinion fully justified it. In such

a matter the Chief Justice has a right to expect that the

Government, if it has any doubt as to the wisdom of the course

he has adopted, will discuss the question with him, and not

merely refuse its support on statements made either by the

Chamber of Commerce, or a small part of the legal profession.

3.

It is clear that after the treatment I have

received in this instance I shall not again have to exercise the

powers conferred on me by the Ordinance; and I am quite certain

that no one who follows me in the office of Chief Justice will

ever lay himself open to be similarly treated.

is Excellency

Sir Frederick Lugard, K.C.M.G.,

Governor of Hongkong.

I have etc..

(sd.) F. T. Piggott,

Chief Justice.