October 21, 1901.]
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H.E. Major-General Sir WILLIAM GAS- COIGNE then addressed a few words to the Corps. He said he could add very little to the sentiments His Excellency had 80 ably expressed., Sir John Carrington and His Excellency had been kind enough to con- sult him as to the propriety of the parade, but although the existing regulations rather discouraged presentation of prizes or the presentation of souvenirs to officers leaving the Corps, he agreed most thoroughly with His Excellency that circumstances alter cases, and, for one, certainly thought it would have been a great hardship if the members of the Corps had been prevented by a hard-and-fast rule. from giving a practical exhibition of the esteem and affection in which they held Sir John Carring ton. Therefore he advised His Excellency to come down and make the presentation. Con- tinuing, Major-General Gascoigne said he had had the pleasure of serving with Sir John Carrington for three years in this Colony, and thoroughly agreed with the encomiums passed upon him by His Excellency. As to the Corps, he had already told them of their efficiency, and ho would again tell them now, but, as Sir John Carrington had said, they must continue to strive to attain perfection. They must do their best, beyond which no mau could do more, and in the attainment of their object they would in the future afford the keenest satis- faction to Sir John Carrington when he looked back on the efficiency of the Corps he had had the honour of commanding for so long. In conclusion, the speaker begged to join in the hearty wishes for Sir John Carrington for health and every possible happiness in the future.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
to trying duties that you have discharged to the | ATTORNEY-GENERAL proceeded to address the entire satisfaction of the people of this Colony. Bench. He said-Sir John Carrington, on It only remains for me to ask you to accept behalf of the legal profession in this Colony I this salver from your old comrades, with every beg to convey to your Lordship our sincere good wish for your future welfare and that of regret that you are leaving us and our high Lady Carrington and your family.
appreciation of the manner in which you have performed the duties of your distinguished office. When you arrived in this Colony over five years ago, it was confidently anticipated, from your previous record in the Colonial Civil Service, that you would bring to the discharge of the duties of your office that broad grasp of law and that independence, impartiality, and integrity which are amongst the highest attri- butes of the judicial Bench. Those expecta- tions, my Lord, have been very amply fulfilled. There is also a matter in which not merely the members of the legal professiou are highly in- debted to your Lordship, but also the community in general, and that is the work your Lordship has accomplished in introducing into this Colony certain statutory enactments which will have the effect of bringing the law here up to date. There are very many Ordinances with which your Lordship's name will always be associated. They are almost too numerous for me to recapit- ulate now, but I may mention in particular the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, the Civil Procedure Ordinance, the Trustee Ordinance, and the Law Amendment Ordinance. These statutes, my Lord, will always remain as monn. ments to your zeal in the cause of law in this Colony. Furthermore, your Lordship has very kindly consented to bring out a new edition of the laws of this Colony which will be of immense benefit not only to the legal practi- tioners in this Colony, but also to the members of the general public, for I am firmly convinced, my Lord, that it is not merely for the benefit of the legal profession, but also for the benefit of the community in general,. that the laws of a Colony should exist in a handy form accept able to everybody; and, my Lord, although Lordship to relinquish your judicial duties in On the call of HIS EXCELLENCY the Gov. this Colony, perhaps may be permitted to ERNOR, who, doffing his hat, said to the men, express the hope that when the Imperial Take off your helmets," three cheers and a tiger Court of Appeal for the Empire is were given for Sir John Carrington, who, in established upon a broad basis, His Majesty's afterwards returning thanks for the presentation, advisers in such matters may recommend your said the souvenir would be to him the most
name to His Majesty as one who has had a very treasured of his possessions. He concluded-wide and varied experience in many Colonies "I won't say any more now, and may Heaven and under several different systems of law, and I send its blessings to you, both as a Corps and am sure, if it should be the fortune of any of as individuals!
us to appear before your Lordship in that august tribunal, we shall always receive from you the same kindly patience and courtesy you have always extended to us during your occupancy of the Bench in this Colony.
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H.E. the Governor and H.E. Major-General Gascoigne, after shaking hands with Sir John Carrington, took their departure, and the parade was soon afterwards dismissed. In the Orderly Room Sir John's health was toasted in champagne by all the officers of the Corps. Later, headed by the Band playing Auld Lang Syne," the officers escorted their late Commandant to the tram station on bis way to the Peak. He left the station to the strains of "He's a jolly good fellow," followed by cheers. And so the Hongkong Volunteer Corps said good-bye to a Command ant whose popularity cannot easily be surpassed.
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judges, from the members of the Bar, from the solicitors, and from the officers of this Court. First as regards my brother judges: they have been my colleagues during the whole time of my presiding in this Court. I have never had the least disagreement or the least difficulty with them; eu the contrary, I have had nothing bat kindness and willing co-operation in the way of advice and assistance in every case in which I needed it, and I beg now very sincerely to thank them for the way in which they have helped me to discharge the duties of my office. I beg also, Mr. Attorney, to tender my best thanks to the members of the Bar for their great courtesy and consideration to me in all cases in which they have appeared before me in this Court. No one but a judge can know what a great assist- ance it is to a judge in making his opinion on a case to have the arguments fully and clearly and ably laid before him on either side. That assistance I have received always in full measure from the Bar. I am not going to say words of praise for the Bar, because perhaps this is not the occasion for me to do it. I will only say that although their numbers are not very large, yet, in point of ability, reputation, and efficiency they rank very high indeed, and I am very grateful to them for the way in which they have always behaved towards me. I may make the same remark with regard to the solicitors in quite as full measure. In Chambers, in the Bankruptcy Court, and in other ways have I come in con- tact with them, and have received nothing but consideration and kindness during the whole of my time here. The officers of the Court also have been most willing and ready to co-operate with me in the details of practice in Chamber business and Court work, and I beg to grate- fully thank them all. No one but a judge can know again how much he must rely upon the efficiency of the staff of the Court in many matters of daily routine and practice. Before I
conclude my remarks I should like to make reference to a distinguished practitioner in this Court, who is not with us to-day. You all know I refer to the late Mr. Francis. When I was ill in Japan and felt I should not be equal to the strain of my official duties, I thought, Mr. Attorney, there might be some function of this kind take place when I left the Colony, and I thought that on that day Mr. Francis, as an old and leading practitioner in this Court, would probably say a few words. But Providence ruled otherwise, and on my way down from Japan to Hongkong I performed the melancholy duty of attending his funeral at Yokohama. Mr. Francis will long be missed in this Court. He was undoubtedly an able In replying, Sir JOHN CARRINGTON said advocate, and any client who retained him Mr. Attorney-General, I have to thank you could count on having a very keen intellect very sincerely for the kind words of farewell at his services and a ready tongue, and I am you have now said on behalf of the Bar, and. A quite sure that all you gentlemen who appear take it, also on behalf of the other branch of in this Court, when you are engaged in & the profession. Your words, I think, Mr.heary case, will for some time to come miss Attorney, have been somewhat too kind, and you have rated too highly the services I have been able to render on the Bench of this Colony. When I first took my seat, Mr. Goodman, the Attorney-General, told me there had been FAREWELLS IN THE SUPREME COURT. several distinguished predecessors on this In connection with the departure from Bench, and I felt I had a hard task before me in the Colony of His Honour Sir John Worrell endeavouring to keep up to the standard get by Carrington, Kt., C.M.G., D.C.L., LL.D., them. I cannot honestly believe I have risen Chief Justice, a sitting of the Full Court, to that standard, because unfortunately with attended by the members of the legal profes- me there are some very serious deficiencies in sion, was held on the 15th inst. at 10 a.m. Sir the matter of early legal training-deficiencies John sat between their Honours A. G. Wise such as В man never perhaps gets over (Acting Chief Justice) and T. Sercombe Smith during the whole of his legal and judicial (Acting Puisne Judge), and the others present career,. But you may remember that the were the Hon. H. E. Pollock, K.C., Acting Bar were kind enough to entertain me to Attorney-General; Messrs J. W. Norton Kyshe, dinner on my arrival in the Colony, and I then Registrar; F. B. L. Bowley, Crown Solicitor; said to them that at any rate I would make J. W. Jones, Acting Deputy Registrar and sure that one thing should be done while I pre Appraiser; C. J. Xavier, Acting Registrar andsided in this Court, and that was that I should Accountant; L. D'Almada e Castro, Clerk to the endeavour to hold the balance fairly between the Pusine Judge; H. H. J. Gompertz, Member, parties before me. I hope, whatever my short- The Chinese in the town of Bandon, in Siamese Malay, had a rather exciting fight one Land Court; F. A. Hazeland, Police Magis- comings may have been, that at any rate the ver- trate; C. A. D. Melbourne, First Clerk at dict will be that I have endeavoured to do these night about a month ago. The police got badly Magistracy; E. H. Sharp and Dr. Ho Kai, things-to take pains with the cases brought mauled about, but when the Governor turned up with armed men the rioters disappeared. barristers-at-law; E. J. Grist, G. K. H. Brutton, before me, to hear patiently the arguments that K. W. Mounsey J. S. Harston, F. C. Barlow, were adduced by counsel and solicitors, and to One man lost a leg, another an eye, and the list
of minor injuries was a very long one. H. F. R. Brayne, O. D. Thomsou, J. F. Reece, hold the balance fairly. More I will not claim F. B. Deacon, H. L. Dennys, H. Hursthouse, credit for. If I have been able to discharge day the leading Chinese farmer in the town sent the Governor some valuable presents, but G. C. C. Master, C. Ewens, P. W. Goldring, my duties, as you kindly say, to the satis- J. Hays, D'Almada, Wei On, and Tso, solici- faction of the legal profession and the com- they were returned with the intimation that the Siamese Government paid the Governor's tors. The subordinate Court officials were also munity, that result is in great measure, in attendance.
if not entirely, due to the assistance and co-salary, and that he did not require to have it operation I have received from my brother supplemented by presents.
When all were assembled, the ACTING
his excellent and ready antagonism. I will only now say that his memory will long remain in this Court as that of a very distinguished advocate. Now, Mr. Attorney, I have to say farewell to you all. I am very sorry to part from you. I had hoped that in the course of things I should have been a few years longer with you, but it is ordered otherwise. Now I leave the Bench of this Colony with the memory of five-and-a-half very happy and pleasant years spent among you. I thank you again for all your kindness and consideration, and I will never forget the pleasant relations that have existed between the Bar and solicitors while I have occupied the position of Chief Justice of this Colony. I have now you all good-bye.
The Court then adjourned sine die.
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