NEWSPAPER REPORT MARKED "D" REFERRED TO UNDER PARAGRAPH 9.
STANDING MILITARY COURT.
A STATUS OF LOCAL BAR REFERRED TO BY GOVERNOR.
OPENING CEREMONY TODAY.
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A statement on the present position of barristers and
solicitors in the Colony was made by His Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral Cecil Harcourt, when he
declared open the Standing Military Court this morning at
a cermony held in the Supreme Court in the presente of high
ranking Allied Navy, Army and Air Force officers and members
of the legal profession.
A guard of honour from the Commandos was drawn up outside
the building.
His Excellency sat on the Bench with Colonel G. Strickland,
Legal Adviser.
Lieut. F. G. Nigel and Mr. Kwan Cho-yiu were sworn in as
members of the Standing Military Court.
A Union Jack was displayed above the dome of the judge's
seat, where, His Excellency, in naval uniform and cap, addressed
those present. He said:
Following the establishment of a British Military Adminis-
tration, His Honour the Chief Justice opened the Civil Courts,
but his continued ill-health, and the necessity of repatriating
personnel, made it impracticable to keep such Courts functioning.
Military courts were accordingly established by Proclamation No.8.
These Courts are called Military Courts because constituted
under my authority as Commander-in-Chief and because the Adminis-
tration is a Military Administration. They are not Courts Mar-
tial, nor will bhey be staffed exclusively or even principally by
commissioned officers. Local barristers and solicitors have
come forward to assist the emergency, and it is hoped to procure
later additional personnel, some military and some civilian, from
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