Clause 11

by deleting the words “, or that it bears date on a Sunday” in section 13(2); and

by inserting, immediately after section 97, the following section:“Obligation to do acts relating to bills and notes on Sundays or public holidays97A.—

Subject to section 14, all bills and notes that are due and payable on any Sunday or public holiday shall be payable, and, in the case of non-payment, may be noted and protested, on the day next following and not on the Sunday or public holiday.

Any such noting or protest shall be as valid as if made on the day on which the bill or note was made due and payable.

When the day on which any notice of dishonour of an unpaid bill or note should be given, or when the day on which a bill or note should be presented or received for acceptance or accepted or forwarded to any referee or referees, is a Sunday or public holiday, the notice of dishonour shall be given, or the bill or note shall be presented or forwarded, on the day next following the Sunday or public holiday.

No person shall be compellable to make any payment or do any act relating to a bill or note on a Sunday or public holiday, but the obligation to make such payment or to do any such act shall be deferred to the day next following the Sunday or public holiday; and the making of the payment or the doing of the act on the day next following shall be equivalent to payment or the doing of the act on the Sunday or public holiday.

For the purposes of this section, the day next following a Sunday or public holiday means the next following day not being itself a Sunday or public holiday.”.

by repealing section 202;

by deleting subsection (1) of section 298; and

by deleting the marginal note to section 298 and substituting the following marginal note:“Inquiry held in private.”.

by inserting, immediately after section 6, the following section:“Sittings of subordinate courts6A.—

Subject to subsection (2), every subordinate court shall sit on every day of the year except on Sundays and public holidays. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a judicial officer may lawfully sit on a Sunday or public holiday or during a vacation authorised under section 61 if —

the Senior District Judge, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, has directed the judicial officer to sit on that day or during that vacation; or

in the opinion of the judicial officer, the business to be despatched is extremely urgent.

Every subordinate court shall sit at such times as the Chief Justice may from time to time appoint.”; and

by repealing section 57 and substituting the following section:“Registry of the subordinate courts57.—

The Registry of the subordinate courts shall be open on every day of the year except on Sundays and public holidays. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the registrar may lawfully sit or carry out the business of the Registry on a Sunday or public holiday if —

the Senior District Judge, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, has directed the registrar to do so on that day; or

in the opinion of the registrar, the business to be despatched is extremely urgent.

The office hours of the Registry shall be such times as the Senior District Judge, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, may from time to time direct.”.

by inserting, immediately after section 10A, the following section:“When High Court is open10B.—

Subject to subsection (2), the High Court shall sit on every day of the year except on Sundays and public holidays.

Notwithstanding subsection (1), a Judge may lawfully sit on a Sunday or public holiday or during a vacation prescribed under section 12 if —

the Chief Justice has directed the Judge to sit on that day or during that vacation; or

in the opinion of the Judge, the business to be despatched is extremely urgent.”;

by inserting, immediately after the words “such dates” in section 32(1), the words “(whether or not a Sunday or public holiday or during a vacation prescribed under section 12)”; and

by repealing section 72 and substituting the following section:“Registry to be open throughout the year72.—

The Registry of the Supreme Court shall be open on every day of the year except on Sundays and public holidays.

Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Registrar may lawfully sit or carry out the business of the Registry on a Sunday or public holiday if —

the Chief Justice has directed the Registrar to do so on that day; or

in the opinion of the Registrar, the business to be despatched is extremely urgent.

The office hours of the Registry shall be such times as the Chief Justice may from time to time direct.”.