CO129-508-5 Supreme Court of Hong Kong- slackness of registry accounting methods 28-10-1927 - 23-4-1928 — Page 173

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approaching full supervision of the accounting.

He was moreover forced to recognise that there there was a failure on the part of what I may term the Bailiffs' Department to keep the books posted up to date such failure was unavoidable with the heavy pressure of work and the staff available to perform it.

On Page 26 of the Committee's report the personnel

of the staff is set out in detail and shows:-

Mr. Hill, First Bailiff.

O'Sullivan, Second Bailiff.

Stainfield, Clerk and Usher and Assistant Bailiff.

Costallo

Gorvin

Bouchier

Assistant Bailiffs.

Roberts, Acting Clerk and Usher.

So Ut Tai, Shroff.

This staff may superficially appear to be adequate

for the accounting work but, as pointed out by the Committee, their duties did not in point of fact leave any margin of time for accounting work.

Moreover during the material period of Mr. Hill was a sick man and his sickness has culminated in a complete break down. Mr. Stainfield is consumptive and unfit for strenuous labour. Mr. Gorvin is a war invalid whose health is most precarious.

What could be done by this overworked staff was done

work

and where got into arrears it was inevitable.

The Committee of Enquiry have on Page 13 of the

report given some indication of the numerous matters with

which