CO129-358 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1909 [10-11] — Page 71

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Chambers,

Supreme Court, Hongkong,

27th.September, 1909.

C.O

36967

RECR

63

Rec 1 NOV 09

I have the honour to acknowledge Your Excel-

-lency's letter of 24th. September, relative to Mr. Melbourne's

appointment. Its contents have caused me considerable surprise.

It is the first acknowledgment of a letter written 5 week ago,

relative to an important appointment in the Registry. I of

course imagined that it had been forwarded to the Secretary of

State; but as Your Excellency's letter of recommendation had

already rone to the Secretary of State, I must with respect,

express my surprise that the tenor of my very strong opposition

to Mr. Melbourne's appointment was not cabled to the Secretary

*10110

eoltam el:0 ONT

of State.

2.

The recommendation of Your Excellency has

been adopted by the Secretary of State, and it has been made

in complete disregard of the Chief Justice's views, and the only

reason for this that I can find is that the Registrar recommend-

-ed Mr. Melbourne: that Mr. Justice dompertz's opposition was

withdrawn, and that the opinions of two prominent members of the

legal profession were apparently in favour of Mr. Melbourne's

appointment. There was therefore apparently no room for the opinion