Sessional_Paper_1892 — Page 167

163

No. 92

HONGKONG.

RETURNS OF SUPERIOR AND SUBORDINATE COURTS FOR 1891.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 14th March, 1892.

No. 8.

SIR,-

REGISTRY SUPREME COURT, HONGKONG, 7th January, 1892.

-I have the honour to forward herewith the following annual returns :--

1. Return of all sums received as Revenue in the Registry of the Supreme Court during the

year 1891.

2. Same returns as compared with the receipts of 1890.

3. Indictments and Informations in the Supreme Court of Hongkong for the year 1891. 4. Return of Criminal cases that have been brought under the cognizance of the Supreme

Court during the last ten years.

5. Comparative table showing the number of offences, apprehensions, convictions, and

acquittals for the last four years.

6. Return of Criminal cases tried in the Supreme Court of Hongkong during the year 1891. 7. Return of Establishment.

From Returns 1 and 2 it will be seen that there is decrease in the Revenue of 1891 as compared with that of 1890 amounting to....

The decrease has taken place chiefly in the following items of Revenue :-

A. Court fees (proper) paid by Stamps,..

..$4,056.16

This is owing to the fact that in 1890 140 Original Suits were entered and

1,813 Summary Suits against 126 and 1,632 in 1891.

.$ 986.07

B. Percentage received on Intestate Estate, this is always an uncertain item, ......$2,646.18

The fees in 1890.-In one Estate alone (that of Tam Yam Yim) realised

$2,985.14.

In 1891.--The largest sum received on one Estate was $1,282.50, the average

for the last five years is $2,010.

C. Bailiff's Fees....

This decrease was caused by the smaller number of Suits entered.

D. Interest on Registrar balance at the Bank,

In 1890 there was on deposit at the Bank about $85,000. While in 1891

this amount has been about $20,000 less.

E. Under the item "Registrar of Companies" there is an increase of $675.50. 19 New Companies with a capital of $7,622,000 have been registered.

CRIMINAL RETURNS.

These show a large decrease in the number of cases tried in the Supreme Court.

The total number in 1891 was

Average for 1st year from 1882 to 1886,

Do. 2nd

There were two maiden Sessions.

""

1887 to 1891,

.32

............89

.75/3/

$ 214.00

$ 888.41

The Honourable W. M. GOODMAN,

:.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

EDW. J. ACKROYD,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

&C.,

&c.,

&c.

Registrar.