ENG-1964 — Page 176

LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS

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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 perform important functions under a number of other Ordinances, including the Magistrates (Coroners Powers) Ordinance.

The District Court, established in 1953, took over the summary jurisdiction previously exercised by the Supreme Court and gave 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. The large increase in the work of this court, particularly in Kowloon, reflects the Colony's industrial growth and population expansion. Trial in both civil and criminal proceedings 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 an appellate jurisdiction in stamp appeals, rating appeals and appeals from the Tenancy Tribunal.

The Supreme Court's civil jurisdiction is similar to that of the King's Bench and Chancery Division of the English High Court. It also exercises jurisdiction in probate, divorce, admiralty, lunacy, bankruptcy and company-winding-up matters. The most serious criminal offences are tried by a judge of the Supreme Court sitting with a jury of seven. (A summary of cases heard and dealt with in the courts for the year 1960-4 will be found in Appendix XXXIV).

The highest court in Hong Kong is the Full Court. It sits as occasion requires and is constituted of two or more judges of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice directs. The Chief Justice usually presides over this court which hears appeals from the Supreme Court and the District Court and has jurisdiction cor- responding roughly to that of the Court of Appeal, the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Divisional Court of the Queen's Bench Division. Final appeals from Hong Kong go to the Judicial Com- mittee of the Privy Council in London.

POLICE FORCE

Although serious crime has increased during 1964 Hong Kong has fortunately not experienced a marked increase in serious crime during the past few years. From 1961 to 1963, in fact, serious crime