$4
CYPHER CAT A
FLASH FROM HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 34
CONFIDENTIAL
OFF
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
8 JANUARY 1968
ADDRESSSD CO TELEGRAM NO. 34 OF 8TH JANUARY RPTD PEKING.
(7224)
YOUR TEL NO. 44: COMMUNIST PRESS.
12?
TOP COPY
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SECURE ANY EXTENSION OF TIME BY WHICH
CONFIRMATION HAS TO BE GIVEN OF HEARING ON 12TH JANUARY SINCE
COURT LISTS FOR THE WEEK HAVE TO BE ISSUED PUBLICLY ON MONDAY.
CONSEQUENTLY, MCGREGOR'S SOLICITORS HAVE HAD CASE REMOVED
FROM LIST, AS SUGGESTED BY YOUR TELEGRAM. THEY NOW PROPOSE
TO SEEK PERMISSION FROM THE JUDGE TO MENTION THE CASE ON
FRIDAY.
Hw
2. THIS WOULD BE A PUBLIC MENTION BY COUNSEL, WHO WOULD MAKE
A STATEMENT (CLEARED WITH US) TO THE EFFECT THAT MCGREGOR
DOES NOT NOW INTEND TO ASK THE COURT TO ASSESS DAMAGES. HE
WOULD JUSTIFY THIS ON THE GROUND THAT THE JUDGEMENT IN HIS
FAVOUR IS IN HIS OPINION ADEQUATE PUBLIC PROOF OF THE UNTRUTH
OF THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM.
3. THIS COURSE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE THAT THE
MATTER WOULD NOT BE ADVERTISED PUBLICLY BEFORE IT TAKES
PLACE, AND THE LEFT WING WOULD BE UNAWARE OF THE ACTION
UNTIL IT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND WOULD NOT THEREFORE BE ABLE
TO MISCONSTRUE OUR INTENTIONS.
RECORD IN
663
- 8 JAN1968
HWB 14/92
4,MCGREGOR AND HIS SOLICITORS NOW STRONGLY FAVOUR THE CONCLUSION
OF THE MATTER IN THE MANNER SUGGESTED IN PARAGRAPH 2.
THEY ARE RELUCTANT TO SEE IT REMAIN UNDECIDED FOR A MINIMUM
J
OF SEVERAL WEEKS.
LAST
REF.
HEXT
F
122A
126
5. THE CHOICE WHICH MINISTERS MAY NOW WISH TO CONSIDER IS
THEREFORE BETWEEN (A) A CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER THIS WEEK,
AS PROPOSED BY MCGREGOR, (B) A DATE TO BE APPLIED FOR IN MARCH
FOR DAMAGES TO BE ASSESSED, (C) THE MATTER TO BE LEFT IN THE
127)