CO129-403 - Governor Sir May Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1913 [8-10] — Page 266

265

C. O.

N?

N° 359.

32184

REC

Reet 15 SEP 13

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 23rd. August, 1913.

[

Sir.

I have the honour to inform you that, owing to

the exigencies of the service, the Staff of the Registry of the Supreme Court has of late been very short-handed. Mr. J. R. Wood has been on leave since the 18th. September, 1912, and it was necessary to appoint Mr. C. A. D. Melbourne, Deputy Registrar and Appraiser of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacant post of 2nd, Magistrate. The vacancy in the Supreme Court could not be filled as no officer was available. Subsequently as from the 26th. February, 1913, Mr. J. W. Lee-Jones, Deputy Registrar and Accountant of the Supreme Court, was granted four months' vacation leave and four months and 29 days' half-pay leave, Mr. S. B. B. McElderry being appointed to act for him. Moreover, it has been necessary to appoint Mr. A. M. Thomson, the Colonial Treasurer, to act as Colonial Secretary and Mr. A. C. M. Fletcher, the Official Receiver, has therefore since the 19th. February been acting as Treasurer. No officer was available to fill the vacant post of Official Receiver: therefore, Mr. Nisbet, the Registrar of the Supreme Court, and Mr. McElderry have been obliged for some months past to discharge the duties of four officers, viz.:- Registrar and 2 Deputy Registrars of the Supreme Court, and Official

Receiver.

2.

On the 4th. August, at the request of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, who was not satisfied with the work

of Mr. J. D. Lloyd as his First Assistant a transfer was arranged,

RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, H.P.,

&c.,

&C..

&C...

Mr.