CO129-536-1 Estimates- 1932 3-9-1931 - 16-6-1933 — Page 347

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

He said: Under section 32 of Ordinance No. 3 of 1873 the Chief Justice makes general rules and orders relating to Court fees which however cannot become operative until they have been revised and approved by the Legislative Council and published in the Gazette.

The existing rules dated the 10th July, 1931, were approved by this Council on the 16th July, 1931 and published in the Gazette of the 17th July, 1931.

His Honour the Chief Justice has made recently an amending Order, dated the 11th May, 1933, to take effect on the first of July 1933, and the proposed amendment is now submitted to this Council for its approval. The effect of the amendment will be to reduce the Bailiff's fee for each man in possession from $2 a day to $1 a day.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the motion was agreed to.

SUPREME COURT AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1933.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a bill intituled "An Ordinance to amend further the Supreme Court Ordinance, 1873" He said: This Bill substitutes three revised sections, explained in the Objects and Reasons, for three sections of the principal Ordinance dealing with the method and effect of the appointment of permanent and temporary Judges of the Supreme Court.

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the Bill was read a first time.

Objects and Reasons.

The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:- 1. This Bill repeals sections 9, 10 and 11 of the principal Ordinance, No. 3 of 1873, as amended by Ordinance No. 1 of 1929, and re-enacts them in a redrafted form which clarifies the procedure and effect of the appointment of permanent and temporary judges of the Supreme Court.

2. In the new section 9 the old sub-sections (2) and (3) as amended in 1929 are redrafted and consolidated as sub-section (2).

3. In the new sub-section 10 (1) the words "In case the office of the Chief Justice or of any Puisne Judge" are substituted for the words "In case the cffice of any judge in the permanent service of the Colony", and correspondingly alterations have been made in sub-section 10 (2).