CO129-531-1 Magistrates Amendement Ordinance- 1931 2-10-1931 - 4-12-1931 — Page 6

No. 3251/1927.

Sir,

$9

Chief Justice's Chambers,

Courts of Justice,

HONG KONG.

20th February, 1932.

I have the honour to acknowledge Your

Excellency's letter of the 15th February, 1932,

relating to Ordinance No. 21 of 1931.

It is very difficult to devise an ideally

perfect arrangement for informing accused persons

My

of their rights with regard to procedure.

own practice, at the actual trial, is to inform

the accused person of the three courses open to

him, i.e., (1) Evidence on oath involving the

liability of cross-examination, (2) an unsworn

statement from the dock not involving cross-

examination, and (3) silence. In a suitable case

I should also inform him of his right to address

the jury on the case. The problem of the best

arrangement at the preliminary inquiry before the magistrate is not necessarily identical, and I am not prepared to suggest any amendment of the present law, as recently amended by the above Ordinance.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient servant,

(sd.) J. H. KEMP.

Chief Justice.

His Excellency,

Sir William Peel, K.C.M.G., K.B.E.,

Governor.