ENG-1953 — Page 154

HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1953

proceedings concerning questions arising on estates, appoint- ments of trustees and company matters.

Cases in the Probate, Divorce, Admiralty and Bankruptcy Jurisdictions of the Court are usually heard by the Chief Justice. Indictable offences are first heard before magistrates and are committed to the criminal sessions which are held once a month.

A right of appeal exists in all these cases. Appeals are heard by a Full Court consisting of two or more judges. Under the Magistrates Ordinance, any person aggrieved may appeal to a judge from the decision of a magistrate. This form of appeal is heard by a single judge who may reserve the appeal, or any point in it, for consideration by the Full Court, or may direct the appeal, or the point to be argued, before the Full Court.

During the year, 597 actions, consisting of 497 Original Jurisdiction claims and 100 Miscellaneous Proceedings Actions were instituted in this division.

In its criminal jurisdiction it is once more gratifying to note a decrease in serious crime, although this can be partly accounted for by the fact that some of the cases were tried before the District Courts. In 1953, 89 persons were convicted as against 108 in 1952, 219 in 1951, and 402 in 1950.

Analysing the convictions in 1953, it is apparent that the most serious form of crime was armed robbery, which account- ed for 34 convictions.

The District Courts. This Court came into being on the 18th February, 1953. One branch was instituted in the Supreme Court Building, and the other in the Kowloon Magistracy. The District Court assumed the jurisdiction of the old Summary Court, wherein civil claims up to and including $5,000 were heard by Puisne Judges. The District Judges have powers in

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