10 P Y.
Sir,
Chambers,
Courts of Justice,
19th. June, 1912.
331
I beg leave to address a few remarks to Your Excel- -lency in regard to the debate which recently took place in the Legislative Council on the subject of the appointment of a third Judge in this Colony.
2. The Bill to provide for the Judge of His Majesty's Court in China sitting on appeals here was originally drafted by me, and as Attorney-General I strongly supported it last year in conversation with the advisers of the Secretary of State as a temporary expedient and to ensure appeals here being a reality pending the constitution of an Appeal Court by the appointment of a third resident Judge.
3. Before leaving for England last year I received definite instructions from Sir Frederick Lugard that I was not at liberty to advocate, as I strongly desired to do, the appointment of a third Judge at the present time on the ground of the cost involved, and I of course complied with this injunction. On my return however to the Colony Sir Frederick informed me that on a fuller consideration of the subject he was convinced that the alternative proposal of having a third permanent Judge was prefer- -able; the difference in the cost involved, having regard to the biannual visits of the Shanghai Judge not being sufficient to overweigh the additional advantage of having a third resident Judge.
I believe that he addressed the Secretary of State
to this effect but inasmuch as arrangements had been concluded
with the Foreign Office for securing the services of Sir Havilland
de
Excellency
The Officer Administering the Government.
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