CO129-376 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1911 [3-4] — Page 451

12

438

192049/10.

the Tables will have to be modified, but since under the

!

scheme proposed the holders of the substantive posts of both

First and Second Magistrates will eventually be fully qualifi-

-ed Barristers I venture to hope that it may be found feasible

to make the First Police Magistrate (who would naturally be an

aspirant for the post of Puisne Judge) a Member of the Appeal

Court supposing that the Judge of His Majesty's High Court at

Shanghai is unable to continue for long as an Appellate

Judge of Hongkong and so obviate the necessity of appoint-

-ing a Third Judge. It has been decided (vide Lord Crewe's

Despatch No. 211 of 28th. July, 1910) that in future the

Attorney-General shall not act as Chief Justice, and the

acting appointments are based on this decision.

9.

I am not prepared to endorse the

view that a knowledge of the Chinese language is not re-

-quired in the Judicial appointments more especially in those

of the two Police Magistrates, the Crown Solicitor and the

Official Receiver. I am indeed of opinion that it is of the

highest value in these appointments, and second only to the

necessity of legal qualification. I, therefore, attach great

importance to devising a system by which legal Cadets no less

than their non-legal colleagues may be afforded facilities

for studying the Chinese language. At present Cadets on