Acting Chief Justice Opens Session

The Acting Chief Justice of Fiji (Mr. Justice Hammett) is escorted to his chambers after inspecting a police guard of honour before the opening of the May criminal sessions of the Suva Supreme Court. This was the first criminal session in Suva over which Mr.

Justice Hammett presided, after his present appointment.

Mr. Justice Hammett, is 39. He became a solicitor in England in 1938, and was called

to the bar 10 years later. He was a magis trate in Nigeria from 1946 to 1952, and Senior Magistrate in Fiji in 1952. He was elevated to the Supreme Court bench in Fiji in 1951 He became Acting Chief Justice early this year when the Chief Justice (Sir Ragnar Hyne) went on leave.

Mr. Justice Hammett served as a commis sioned officer with the British Forces in the Middle East and Far East from 1939 to 1945.