CO129-504-17 Inducements to officers to study for the Bar 13-4-1927 - 10-10-1927 — Page 8

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See52538/25

ph.

therefore be glad to know whether the Council of Legal

Education considers that the concessions in amended

Rule 43a can be granted to any Cadet Officer in this

Service or alternatively to officers who have in fact

exercised judicial functions for some period. In the

latter alternative, what would be the minimum period,

and would it have to be continuous ?

3.

Furthermore, would the Council be prepared

to grant to all Hong Kong officers special leave under

Rule 25 of the Consolidated Regulations to present

themselves for Part 2 after having kept three terms, or,

at least, after having kept five terms? I would point

out that in order to keep six terms, and take all the

examinations during a single leave, the period of leave

would require to be about 19 months. All the

examinations should certainly be taken during the

officer's first leave.

4. I presume that the phrase "two terms of

six months each" in Rule 43a means "two periods of six

months eachTM, but I should be glad to have definite

information on this point also.

5. As regards the inducements I am of opinion

that the bonuses referred to in my predecessor's

despatch are inadequate, and I propose, subject to your approval, to supplement them by an advance of £200 towards payment of fees and expenses in each case, to become a grant if the officer is called to the Bar within

a reasonable period. It is understood that the Governments

Malay. of the Straits Settlements and Federated States have

adopted similar arrangements.

The Finance Committee of the Legislative

Council agrees with the proposal and I should be glad

to