When Chinese get into trouble with the law here lawyers seek the tiniest loopholes in the statutes i their efforts to free the prisoners. One reason for this is that the lawyers can count on a substantial fee for their services. The latter got a severe jolt the other day at Victoria when Mr. Justice Murphy dismissed the applications of several Chinese prisoners seeking discharge from prison. They were held for offences under the opium, drag and nate: fact. In dealing with these cases—'25 were involved—Mr. Justice Murphy declared that the provision of {the criminal code which stated that jo warrant of commitment should not be objectionable because it did not describe accurately any person or} thing, was sufficient to overcome the objection that the year "1923" was not added to the act. This point has other cases and means that convicted Chinese in many parts of British Columbia must serve their terms instead of walking out on a technicality. Earlier in the hearing of these cases Mr. Justice Murphy demanded an assurance from the Crown counsel that a number of the; Chinese in gaol for short terms would not be deported until he had heard] further arguments. "If there is any attempt to deport them I will Tet these men out of gaol at once,'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.