V 38 2. CASES disposed of.

JMarkaz Tribunals Summary Tribunals Central Tribunals— (a.) First Instance .. (Z».) Appeal Court of Appeal 1908. 1909.

2,536 7,060 .. 149,736 186,942 4,875 7,074 .. 3,963 5.411 .. 1,159 976 There is a general increase of arrears in the civil courts with the exception of appeals in the Central Tribunals. The accumulation of causes awaiting trial is most marked in the Summary Tribunals and in the first instance cases of the Central Tribunals, though in both instances the judges have actually disposed of more cases than in 1908. In the Court of Appeal the arrears equal 37 per cent, of the appeals entered for trial, and 183 fewer cases than in 1908 have been disposed of. These figures show that the judicial staff can no longer cope with the work devolving on it, and it has therefore been found necessary to include ten new posts for judges in the budget for the current year.

(c.) Vacations.—A useful innovation has been introduced into the leave regulations of the Tribunals. Under the former system, the judicial vacations lasted over a period of three, and a half months between June and Sejdember, during which half the judges in each Tribunal were on duty and the other half on leave. This system presented many drawbacks. Owing to the reduced staff, arrears accumulated, and in cases of extension of leave the remaining judges suffered from over-work. To remedy these defects, the vacation period has been lengthened to five month.s, fi’om May to October, and leave is now granted to one-third only of the judges at a time, each judge being allowed fifc}’’ days instead of the fifty-four previously given. The new arrangement came into effect last year, and the results have been most satisfactory. The cases disposed of from May to October show an increase of nearly 31,000 over the corresponding period of 1908, and the number of judges delegated from one tribunal to another, one of the chief inconveniences of the old system, was reduced by more than half.

42. Mehkemehs.

In last year’s report I referred at some length to the general demand for reform of the Mehkemehs, the defects of the existing organization, the changes required to remedy these defects, and the actual project which, at the time of writing, was still under the consideration of the Legislative Council. During 1909, the judicial authorities made great efforts to meet in a conciliatory spirit the various criticisms brought against their proposals ; certain modifications were introduced in deference to the wishes of the newly appointed Grand Kadi of Cairo ; and it is with especial satisfaction that I am able to report that this important reform was approved in December by the Legislative Council with a few amendments, almost all of which were accepted by the Government.

Under the new .system, the Mehkemehs are divided into three categories, viz.:— 1. The Supreme Court at Cairo ; 2. Eight Courts of First Instance in the principal towns of Egypt; and 3. Summaiy Courts in these towns, as well as in all Markaz towns. I’he Summary Mehkemehs have jurisdiction in all que.stions relating to marriage or arising out of it, and their decisions are final in some of these, while in others they are subject to appeal before the Mehkemehs of First Instance. The latter, besides these appeals, judge all other questions of personal status, subject to appeal before the Supreme Mehkemeh.

The selection of candidates for judicial posts in these courts is entrusted to a commission presided over by the Minister of Justice or his representative, and composed of the Grand Kadi of Cairo, the Hector of ELAzhar University, the Moufti of Egypt, and an Inspector of Mehkemehs. The commission is also consulted as to the promotion and transfer of Kadis.

It was pointed out last year that an improvement in the pay and position of judges and functionaries attached to the courts was an essential part of the new scheme, and an improved scale of pay, under which the former receive an aggi’egate increase of over 50 per cent., and the latter of nearly 11 per cent., has recently been approved. On the other hand, a large increase in the Mehkemeh receipts has resulted ' from the new judicial tariff* which came into force in May of last year.

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