CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 453

(33557/11)

450

Shanghai work, so that it shall not be disturbed, but

the question arises, how long the sessions of the Appeal

Court at Hong Kong will last, and this would very

largely depend on the extent to which the Court at

Hong Kong was able to sit continuously until the con-

clusion of the Appeals. Sir H. de Sausmarez states

that Sir F. Pigott informed him this would not be

possible, but on the other hand the Attorney-General of

Hong Kong, who has acted as Chief Justice, gave him to

understand that he thought there was no reason why the

Court should not sit practically de die in diem, and

that a fortnight would generally suffice for the

session, though a long appeal might occasionally lead

to a longer session. Sir H. de Saumarez regards it as

important that when the Shanghai Judge has arrived in

Hong Kong the work should proceed without delay and the

Court sit daily, unless it is interrupted for very

urgent reasons. The Court would, however, naturally

retain its own inherent right to adjourn. In this view

Sir E. Grey concurs.

If