§ MR. ALDERMAN W. M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the insufficiency of the Judicial Staff in the Straits Settlements; and, whether there is any intention to meet the wishes of the community by the appointment of an additional Judge?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERThe complaints which have been made respecting an in- 1670 sufficiency of the Judicial Staff in the Straits Settlements have been mainly due to temporary causes—namely, the absence of the Chief Justice on leave, and the delay in appointing an acting Judge. During that period there was only one Judge actually officiating in the Supreme Court. Directions have, however, been given for the appointment of a second acting Judge, and Her Majesty's Government have directed that power shall be taken to appoint a third Judge of the Supreme Court, if such a course should be found necessary; but before deciding upon incurring this additional expenditure we are awaiting fuller information as to the possibility of so re-arranging the business as to relieve the Supreme Court of much that is now unnecessarily thrown upon it, and petty debt cases below a specified amount have been already removed from that tribunal.