CO129-360 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 605

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previously tried the case.

Sir F. Piggott appears also to think that the

title of "Chief Justice" carries with it extraordinary

powers, precedence, and status, which is not the case.

The Title of the Chief Judge at Shanghai was al-

tered, not in order to reduce his status, but because

"Chief Justice" was considered to be an unsuitable

title for the Chief Judge of an extra-territorial Court.

The latter is however in no respect inferior to the

Chief Justice of Hongkong, and now that this claim has

been somewhat unnecessarily and discourteously put for-

ward by the latter in official correspondence the Se-

cretary of State feels bound to say that in his opinion

Sir Edward 16,

it cannot for a moment be entertained.

moreover, confident that Sir F. Piggott will receive no

countenance from Lord Crewe for this contention.

In these circumstances, and in view of the fact

that the Appeal Sessions at Hongkong are described by

the legal officials of that Colony as likely to be of

considerable duration, instead of lasting only for the

fortnight