CO129-349 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [10-12] — Page 458

OPY

C.0.

2430

Chambers, 452

Supreme Court, Hongkong,

9th.December, 1908.

sir,

I have the honour to make application to Your Excel- lency for the post of Puisne Judge in this Colony which

I have reason to believe may shortly become vacant.

In view of General Order 25 and of the fact that I

have recently stated my desire for promotion, I should not

have ventured under ordinary conditions to trouble Your

Excellency upon the subject.

There is however the special circumstance, that I have private information, which I believe to be certainly reliable, but which may possibly not reach Government of- ficially at present, that Mr. Wise is not returning to the Colony.

The appointment for which I am applying, is one for

which the names of candidates from other Colonies nearer

Home may have already been favourably laid before the

Secretary of State, and I have therefore a strong motive for bringing the matter forward as early as possible.

Your Excellency is aware that I have recently acted as Attorney General for 9 months and as Puisne Judge, the appointment in which I am now officiating, for about the

same time.

Perhaps I may be permitted to point out that I have qualified in three Chinese dialects and that the large majority of the suitors in the Summary Court are Chinese with no knowledge of English.

In conclusion, I should be very grateful, in case Your Excellency feels able to support my candidature, if my name might be placed before the Secretary of State, by cable, and

if the Regulations so require, at my own expense.

Excellency

Sir F. J. D. Lugard,K.C.M.G.,

C.B., D.S.O.,

Governor,

&$ * °

I have &c.,

(Sa) H. H. J. Gompertz

Acting Pulane Judge.