84 (2.) Penal Jurisdiction.

Court of Appeal-New cases Decided First Instance— Misdemeanours— New cases .. Decided Contraventions— New cases .. Decided Total—.

Now cases Decided 1912-13. 1913-14.

93 104 254 174 .3,407 3,475 3,754 8,753 114 117 350 247 3,178 3,171 3,042 3,535 1914-15.

91 104 295 299 2,332 2,371 2,718 2,774 1915-16. 1916-17. 1917-18. 1918-10, 139 137 320 419 1,789 1,825 2,248 2,381 99 135 261 290 1,589 1,559 1,949 1,984 54 56 145 227 1,.552 1,572 1,751 1,855 45 5-1 88 92 1,291 1,287 1,424 1,433 It will be observed that in both jurisdictions there has been a very marked decrease in the number of civil cases entered for trial, particularly those of minor importance. This decrease is doubtless due in large measure to the general prosperity of the country and to the rise of prices, both circumstances favourable to debtors.

In the case of the cantonal Courts the diminution of business would appear to havebeen accelerated by the introduction in 1915 of a modest tariff of Court fees.

Leaving the latter circumstance aside, the general decrease of civil litigation appears to indicate the extent to which the lower Courts serve as a debt-collecting agency.

Though it does not appear from the preceding tables, the general figures of criminality remained fairly constant during the period under review until the latter half of the year 1919.

The following figures show the number of crimes (as distinguished from misdemeanours) reported to the native jjarquet, and] treated by that body as genuine cases, during the second six months of the year 1919, as compared with the corresponding figures for the year 1918 :— 1918 1919 Murder and Attempted Murder.

Bobbery. Arson, Destruction of Crop.s.

825 1,380 475 1,085 303 587 54 164 Various Crimes.

'579 872 Total.

2,236 4,088 It will be observed that during the latter half of the year 1919, as a result of the disturbed state of the country, the statistics of serious crime have approximately doubled.

52. School of Law.

Many changes have occurred in the staff of the school during the period under review, including the appointment in 1915 of Mr. F. P. Walton to be director of theschool in succession to Mr. Sheldon Amos.

By the death in 1917 of Mr. Samuel Clay the Law School lost one of its most valued professors, and it has also to regret the loss by resignation of M. Henri Lamba,, Mr. J. H. Scott, M. Pierre Arminjon, Mr. Norman Bentwich and Dr. Hassan Nachat. All of these gentlemen had rendered valuable services 'to the school.

New appointments include those of Mr. W. R. Phillips, formerly professor of law in the University of Leds, and of Mr. F. Fitzgibbon, K.C., of the Irish Bar.

Owing to the disturbed state of the cQuntry the work of the school was seriously interfered with during the spring of 1919. In common with the students and scholars of other schools, the students of the Law School went on strike on the 9th March, 1919, and only a very small proportion of them comjplied with the order to be present on the 7th May. In consequence the school was ordered to be closed until the-3rd October. On the 4th October the course of study was resumed and continued House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.