CO129-582-4 Legal Department- vacancies for Magistrates and Crown Counsel 11-5-1939 - 24-10-1939 — Page 9

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The question also arises whether the post

of Deputy Registrar is a "specific post" although

on the time scale. The acting holder of the post

in January, 1939 (my latest information) was

Mr. J.P. Murphy, one of the Assistant Crown

Solicitors and I assume, therefore, that this is

a Solicitor not a Barrister post.

It is, of course, a fact that there will

be three Crown Counsel to only 2 (newly appointed)

C.L.S. Magistrates in Hong Kong at present and that

a man appointed to fill a Magistrate vacancy might

find it transformed, by a local reshuffle, into a

Crown Counsel one almost before he arrived. It

is also true that another 0.R. vacancy may not

arise for some time.

If, however, we want to insist upon the

principle of the title's depending upon the immediate vacancing & have any

doubt absport

take the Gov's intentions, vacaney I suppose we had better gee now in case

point

}

the ratio of C.L.S. Magistrates to Crown Counsel

should increase.

I have included a paragraph on

this subject in the draft despatch which is submitted

for consideration on 53625/39.

C.S.D. will no doubt wish to note such

of the proposed changes in the C.L.S. Schedule of

Offices as can be agreed to at once.

It may be

more convenient to deal with this on some other file.

In any case R.21 (Q.A.G.) should prepare

V.F. for the second vacancy mentioned in 1 - the

first is being filled by Mr. Sheldon

incorporating

the modifications indicated in paragraphs 4 and 5 of

4.

Niṣ Andrews

9. 10. 39.