If the judge of any circuit court, or any other circuit judge authorized to preside in the circuit, fails to attend any trial or hearing at the time appointed, a clerk thereof shall continue any case or matter then before the court for trial or hearing, from time to time, until the attendance of one of the circuit judges; but no such continuance shall be for a longer period than seven days, except as otherwise ordered by the court.

[L 1892, c 57, §46; RL 1925, §2255; RL 1935, §3652; RL 1945, §9644; am L 1947, c 220, §1; RL 1955, §215-14; HRS §603-16; am L 1972, c 88, §3(h)]