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person who is neither a Christian nor a Jew shall be permitted
to make an affirmation instead of taking an oath, and it is
proposed that under this provision the affirmation shall be
administered to Chinese and Indian witnesses as a matter of
Section 7 aleo adopts one form, i.e., that of
affirmation, instead of the two different forms, i.eng d
of affirmation and declaration, provided for by sections 43
and 44 of the Evidence Ordinance, 1889.
course.
10.
Section 4 provides that in the case of an oath the words
of the path are to be repeated by the person taking it.
This is in accordance with the English practice, and it is in
accordance with the existing practice here with regard to
persons who are sworn or declared through an interpreter.
11.
The other provisions of sections 5 to 8 are taken from former Ordinances, except that section 6 has been adopted from the Oaths Act, 1888, the exact form of affirmation has also been taken from that Act, and section 8 is made general
and is not restricted to the case of declarations.
It provides that in any
12. Section 9 is an inovation. prosecution for muder or manslaughter any medical notes or report by any Government medical officer which purport to relate to the deceased shall be admissible in evidence upon proof of the hand writing of the medical officer and upon This is proof of his death or absence from the Colony. desirable in a place like Hongkong where officers are fre-
long
and where officers who have left the quently away on/i Government service are often so far from the Colony that it
The
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is impossible to bring them back to give evidence.
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