CO129-603-7 Legal Department- reorganisation 18-2-1948 - 19-10-1949 — Page 4

15. The post of Clerk to the Municipal Council would not appear to be very attractive for a Legal Officer, since it is probably a dead end and the office is not one in the service of the Crown, so that the transferee would not be a "transferred officer" for pension purposes. The Hong Kong Pension Law could make him so, and that would suffice so far as concerns officers who have had no service

elsewhere.

I should like to discuss all these points with Mr. Griffin, who I believe is expected to arrive on leave this month. I should first like to know, however, if the Department have any comments.

ange.

48.

Mr. W. I.J. Wallace and I discussed my minute of the 9th June with Mr. Griffin on Thursday the 24th June, and the following summarises his views and explanations.

The Chief Justice saw Mr. Griffin' S first draft, and agreed, except that he considered that the adoption of the higher salary for the Registrar should not be dependent upon the lattersby the given

jurisdiction in interlocuroty matters.

Paragraph 3Y.

bering

The intention is that the Crown Solicitor and all the Legal Officers come under the Attorney- General. The Crown Solicitor and Legal draftsmen would be responsible for drafting. The 4 Legal officers would work for the Registrar-General and would be under the Attorney-General only for establishment purposes.

Mr. Griffin explained that the Registrar- General's work would not be popular with Legal Officers, and it would be desirable for the Attorney- round General to change personnel.

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Further, Mr. Griffin considers that Legal Officers who are Magistrates, should remain under the Attorney-General for establishment purposes, so that, after consultation with the Chief Justice, he could transfer officers to and from Magistracies. I feel rather doubtful about this. If the Chief Justice agrees, then I do not wish to object, but I do not think the principle should be accepted in the face of opposition from the Chief Justice. The normal course would be for changes of this nature to be made by the Governor after consulting both the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General.

Finally, Mr. Griffin' explained that the 4 Legal Officers "to perform duties at present carried out by Assistant Crown Solicitor" are the 4 to be attached to the department of the Registrar-General. Pechafer shown han nations this

Paragraph 6.

Paragraph 141 of the Salaries Commission Report says nothing which throws any light on this question. It gives no reason for recommending the

/establishment...