Reference..
wist (20
Mr. Cruchley
Please see the letter from the Governor at (20). Sir J. McPetrie will be letting us have comments on the question of the succession to the Chief Justice- ship, Hong Kong, before the Governor comes into the Office for discussions on 24 November.
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2.
I should be grateful if you would look at the last sentence in the Governor's letter in which he refers to the possibility that he will recommend Mr. Justice Blair-Kerr for the new appointment of judge of appeal. Have you any knowledge of what is intended here? The Governor refers to legislation but we have seen nothing. It seems to us possible that the intention may be to perpetuate the appoint- ment of senior puns a judge, when the fact that Sir Michael Hogan is in this appointment at the moment appears to be a complicating factor in the present issue of a successor to the CJ.
MUV
(H. H. Stewart) Hong Kong Department 4 November, 1969
I am now your departmental legal adviser in succession to Mr. Cruchley, who has retired.
2. I have no knowledge of the intentions of the Hong Kong Government. It may be that they intend to create a new post of Judge of Appeal in place of the existing post of Senior Puisne Judge; on the other hand they may intend to retain the old post as well as creating the new one.
3. As you say, the existence of the existing nost is a complicating factor my minute on (4) refers and the creation of another new post may complicate the matter still further. In the circumstances I think you would be wise to ask to see the proposed new legislation in draft before its publication.
ARR.
(A. R. Rushford)
W 4/1 MB 1176