Reference......
HKK 14/14
As regards paragraph 5
Department do nothing but drafting. Having regard to the
size of Hong Kong and conceding that these officers will have
to draft subordinate as well as principal legislation, this
compares very favourably with the staff of Parliamentary Counsel's Office here who number only twenty.
Interchangeability
7. Sir Michael Gass assures us that the Secretary of State's
policy regarding secondments and transfers is being adhered to.
I of course accept his assurance that no officer would be
proposed for appointment to the Bench unless it was considered
that he would prove to be a good Judge. There are in fact some
very good Judges on the Supreme Court at the moment and I do
not think that any of them are less than adequate. No doubt
in Hong Kong, as elsewhere, one will get an occasional Judge
who does not measure up to expectations and I can think of one
such in the District Court in Hong Kong who, because of his
seniority, from time to time acted as a Judge of the Supreme
Court; but he has now retired.
Standard of legislation
8.
I agree with Sir Michael Gass' comments.
Unofficial appointments to Councils
9. This is not a legal matter.
10. I suggest that you invite Sir Arthur Grattan-Bellew's
comments on paragraphs 4 and 5 of this minute. I recollect
that the pensions legislation of the now defunct West Indies
Federation affords a precedent for special pensions terms to
Judges appointed directly from the Bar.
JCHOP.
(J.C. McPetrie)
1 April, 1969
Sur fl. Grattan-Bellew.
Before this matter is put to
Ministers
5
your comments
wered the grateful for
No Peline's minute
refers)
on paras 4-5-
la love
の
Sui James
(parayle abo 5 Candles
65
2/4/69