Supreme Court officials are gearing up for a backlog of trials because Bermuda is still one judge short.

Chief Justice Austin Ward told yesterday's arraignments session that he had "staffing difficulties'' in November and December.

He said just three judges would be able to run trials -- himself and Puisne judges Vincent Meerabux and Norma Wade-Miller -- with a replacement still to be found for Richard Ground.

All the arraignment cases were set down to be mentioned again in court during November and December and no trial dates were set.

Mr. Justice Ward told Crown Counsel Brian Calhoun and defence lawyer Archie Warner that one case could not be tried on December 14, even though both lawyers had agreed the date.

"The problem I have is that there are staffing difficulties,'' said the Chief Justice. "There are only three judges at the moment.'' Government House Registrar Paul Dryden said: "We have a long list of well-qualified candidates to replace Mr. Ground and a short list is now being drawn up. A decision will be made in the near future.'' Supreme Court Registrar Charles-Etta Simmons told The Royal Gazette : "I know absolutely nothing about a possible replacement for Mr. Ground and the Chief Justice has not said anything about it.

"The appointment will be made by the Governor and we do not have a terrible problem right now.

"But if it does not abate soon, we might run into some difficulty with the number of trials coming up.'' Mr. Ground, former chairman of the Legal Aid Committee, left his Puisne judge's position this summer to take up the Chief Justice's post in the Turks and Caicos.

His successor still has not been named but an announcement is expected soon.

The first of yesterday's cases to be put back involved the man accused of causing the road crash death of 16-year-old schoolgirl Zeita Matthew.

Zeita was killed in June 1997 and Lerone Malcolm Ming, of Ord Road in Paget, pleaded not guilty to three related charges yesterday.

The 25-year-old denied causing death by reckless driving, causing death by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

He will reappear in court at the next arraignments session, on December 1.

A Sandys couple charged with killing a five-month-old baby also had their hearing delayed by the Chief Justice yesterday.

Alleged murderer Jermaine Noel Pearman, 26, and Sharina Anne Tuzo, 18, who faces a manslaughter charge, deny causing the death of Saed Rami Nadir Young on August 29 last year. Both the accused come from Bob's Valley.

Tuzo, the boy's godmother, was granted bail yesterday and Pearman was remanded in custody. They will also appear in court again on December 1.

A 24-year-old Devonshire man charged with a serious sexual assault will be back in court for the November 2 arraignments session.

The man, from Lookout Lane, cannot be named for legal reasons.

Suspected cocaine trafficker William Benjamin Adolphus Francis, 31, from Hamilton Parish, will also return to court on November 2.

He denied three charges of importing, possessing and handling drugs in March.

And suspected cocaine smugglers Richard Ricardo Steede and Lang Onley, both from Hamilton Parish, will reappear on the same day.

Thirty-seven-year-old Steede, from Kitty's Drive, and 38-year-old Onley, from Harvest Lane, each pleaded not guilty to five drugs charges from March 1998.

They were both remanded on $10,000 bail.

Lincoln Don Christopher, 28, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and prosecutor Mr. Calhoun indicated he would allow two related charges to lie on the file.

But Christopher, of Ballast Road in St. David's, will be back in court on November 2 with co-accused Carlton Eugene Minors, of Great Bay Road, St.

David's, who denied breaking and entering and two counts of receiving stolen property.

Both defendants were remanded in custody and Mr. Justice Ward ordered a social inquiry report on Christopher.

Two homeless men accused of stealing and arson in a crime spree last December and January will also be back in court on November 2.

John Jeffries and Arnett Dill, of no fixed abode, deny three counts of breaking and entering, seven of receiving stolen property, two counts of wilful damage and one charge of arson. Both men were remanded in custody.

Kendricks Winslow Zuill, 21, of Parsons Road, Pembroke, will also have his case mentioned again on November 2.

He has already admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply and a social inquiry report has been ordered.

And homeless Roderick George Astwood, 42, will have his case mentioned on Monday so a trial can start this month for possessing heroin with intent to supply.

Astwood has pleaded not guilty and is remanded in custody.