HC Deb 30 May 1935 vol 302 cc1353-4

Amendments made: In page 246, line 40, leave out from "the," to the end of the Sub-section, and insert: High Court shall be consulted before a recommendation as to the making of any such appointment is submitted to the Governor.

In page 247, line 5, leave out "is," and insert "has been for not less than five years."—[Sir S. Hoare.]

5.26 p.m.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

I beg to move, in page 247, line 10, after the second "judge," to insert: chief judge of the small cause court, Rangoon.' I thought I would save my hon. Friend the Member for Torquay (Mr. C. Williams) trouble by pointing out in the first instance that this is a corresponding provision. It so happens that there is no other small cause court in Burma except that at Rangoon and, therefore, this Amendment is nottotidem, verbisthe same as the Indian Amendment, but to all intents and purposes it is the same.

Mr. ATTLEE

May we take it that there is no possibility of another small cause court being set up in Burma at any time?

Mr. C. WILLIAMS

May I be permitted most respectfully to thank my right hon. and learned Friend for what he thought was saving me trouble; and may I take this opportunity of saying that of course it was quite obvious that this was one of the matters on which the Government were going to make an explanation? I congratulate my right hon. and learned Friend on the clarity with which he has made this particular explanation, as well as any other explanation that he has made during the whole course of the Bill.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL

The hon. Gentleman opposite has asked me whether it is possible that another small cause court may some day be established in Burma. I ought to qualify what I have just said, because it was not wholly accurate to this extent: The small cause court at Rangoon is the only small cause court which is really worth speaking about. There are some small courts which are so insignificant as not to be worth including, for, as my hon. and learned Friend the Member for East Bristol (Sir S. Cripps) appreciates,de minimis non carat lex.If another small cause court is ever established, suitable provision will have to be made for it in respect of this Clause.

Amendment agreed to.