619002-1931-Minutes-No-8 — Page 4

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JULY 3, 1931.

ADJOURNMENT.

12. The Council then adjourned sine die.

Confirmed this 2nd day of July, 1931.

R. A. C. NORTH,

Deputy Clerk of Councils.

W. PEEL,

Governor

No. 405

Rule made by the Chief Justice under section 32 of the Supreme Court Ordinance, 1873, Ordinance No. 3 of 1873.

1. The total in any bill of costs of fees of a solicitor (as distinct from payments) in respect of business done in any cause or matter in the Supreme Court on and after the 1st day of June, 1931, shall be increased by 50%, and such increase shall be allowed upon any taxation of costs in respect of any such business as well between party and party as between solicitor and client, and shall apply to the bills of costs of the Crown Solicitor or Assistant Crown Solicitor.

2. In the Supreme Court in its Summary Jurisdiction this rule shall not, unless otherwise ordered by the Court, apply to an action where the claim does not exceed $500, nor, save as aforesaid, shall it apply, as regards a plaintiff's bill of costs, to an action where the amount recovered does not exceed $500.

3. This rule shall apply to all references to arbitration.

4. The increase hereby authorised shall not affect the question whether a bill of costs when taxed is or is not less by one-sixth part than the bill delivered sent or left.

5. This rule shall not apply to bills of costs which have prior to the date on which this rule comes into operation already been delivered to the client sought to be charged therewith or to the person chargeable therewith or liable therefor or to bills then already taxed and certified or allowed.

6. The rule dated the 14th day of June, 1921, which was approved by the Legisla- tive Council on the 23rd day of June, 1921, and was published in the Gazette of the 24th June, 1921, and which appears on pages 103 and 104 of the Regulations of Hong Kong, 1844-1925, is hereby revoked in respect of business done after the 31st day of May, 1931, except as regards those bills of costs which are excluded from the operation of this rule by paragraph 5 hereof.

Courts of Justice,

Hong Kong, the 29th day of June, 1931.

J. H. KEMP,

Chief Justice.

Revised and approved by the Legislative Council, this 2nd day of July, 1931.

NOTE:-The rule which was published in the Gazette of the 24th June, 1921, increased by 25% the costs chargeable by solicitors. The rule came into force retrospectively on the 1st January, 1921. The effect of the present rule is not to increase costs by 50% on the scale so increased in 1921 but to add a second 25% to the 25% added in 1921, or, in other words, to raise the costs chargeable by 50% over the scale in force before 1921.