CO129-508-5 Supreme Court of Hong Kong- slackness of registry accounting methods 28-10-1927 - 23-4-1928 — Page 19

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by Mr. Lesser to be on a satisfactory system

subject to the amendment of the Statutory rules

now under consideration. One of the most important

changes, viz. a system of direct receipts for

moneys paid into the Registry, was inaugurated in

August without waiting for this amendment. Then

Mr. Mills takes up full time duties at the Post

Office, it will be necessary to appoint an accountant

to the Supreme Court. An officer is already in training for this purpose.

9. The difficulty of settling the responsi-

bility for the shortage disclosed by the investigators

has been increased by the very serious illness of

Kr. Hill and the delay in the sale of the "Ling Nam";

as, until the "Ling Nam" accounts had been closed, the

extent of the shortage could not be ascertained. I

had intended to await the settlement of the "Ling Nam"

accounts before dealing with the question of responsi-

bility, but Mr. Hill's illness and enforced retirement

coupled with the leisurely progress of the Registrar

in preparing the accounts for the Court's decision,

made earlier action necessary. It appeared to me

that Mr. Hill was of all the officers of the Supreme

Court Registry the one on whom the responsibility

most directly rested. He was formally charged and his case was investigated by the Executive Council,

but he was exonerated from blame, and his case has been fully reported to you in my despatch No.25 of

20th May, 1927.

10. In view of the allegations made in the

course of Mr. Hill's case, charges of misconduct

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PE

16688€

63 (Hile)

20

under General