ENG-1963 — Page 262

LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS

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cases and 6,261 exemption cases were filed. The number of exemp- tion cases filed has trebled since 1960. The tribunal's recommenda- tions have generally been accepted and this has cleared the way for the considerable amount of new building in Hong Kong in recent years.

The magistrates may exercise criminal jurisdiction over a wide range of indictable offences as well as summary offences; but in the case of indictable offences their powers of punishment are restricted generally to a maximum penalty of two years imprison- ment or $2,000 fine for any one offence unless the law in regard to any particular offence prescribes that they may award some higher penalty. When trying two or three offences together, cumu- lative sentences of imprisonment imposed by them may not exceed three years. During the year under review there was a substantial increase in the number of cases dealt with by the magistrates, partly due to a considerable increase in the number of traffic offences.

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The magistrates hold preliminary inquiries to decide whether persons accused of the most serious offences should be committed for trial at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court. They also transfer various cases of a serious nature to the District Court on the application of the Attorney General. The civil jurisdiction of these courts is not extensive; but they exercise a limited jurisdiction in domestic matters chiefly under the Infants Custody Ordinance and Separation and Maintenance Orders Ordinance; and they per- form important functions under a number of other Ordinances, including the Magistrates (Coroners Powers) Ordinance.

When the District Court was established in 1953 it took over the summary jurisdiction previously exercised by the Supreme Court, giving to the public a simpler and shorter method of bringing to trial civil disputes in which the value of the subject matter was under $5,000. There was a big increase in the volume of work undertaken by this court. The largest increase took place in Kowloon, reflecting the Colony's industrial growth and the expansion of its population. Trial in both civil and criminal pro- ceedings in the District Court is by judge alone and there is a general limitation of five years on a District Judge's power to award a sentence of imprisonment. The District Court has also