сору
FROM
18.75
RC.204/81/022
Reference....
these, they would surely stand out in all our minds in such a wny. as to render quite unnecessary the sort of systematic analysis which has been suggested. I can well understand the Governor's difficulty, but I think he will simply have to be told that he must face it.
(F.L. Greenland) 7th August 1969
Sir James McPetrie
Sir Leslie Monson
The following are the ODM answers to the three questione raised inpara.7 of Sir James McPetrie's minute of 30th July, 1969.
(a)
(b)
(c)
An assessment of the comparative merits of
Sir Ivo Rigby and Mr. Blair-Kerr have been made by Mr. Greenland in his minute of 7th August. I agree with Mr. Greenland that Mr. Blair-Kerr is a superior candidate to Sir Ivo Rigby.
There are not, in my view, any HMOJ Judges or HMOCS Attorneys General in other territories whose qualifi- cations for the Chief Justiceship of Hong Kong are superior to those of either Sir Ivo Rigby or
Mr. Blair-Kerr. Sir Clifford Hammett, Chief Justice
of Fiji, is probably the best of the serving Judges and law officers but Sir James McPetrie has disposed of the suggestion that he should be considered as a candidate in para.5 of his minute.
The only retired Judge, who is likely to be available and who has the experience and 'standing which would justify appointing him on contract as Chief Justice, is Sir Campbell Wylie, but he is 64 years of age and this probably rules him out. Sir Ronald Sinclair and Sir Patrick Burke would also be suitable but again they are each over 60 years of age and are settled in the UK. and more or less fully employed, partly in the UK. and partly overseas. It is most unlikely that either of them would consider taking a fulltime overseas appointment. Sir Alistair Forbes might also be considered suitable but he is 61 and has parttime employment in the U.K. and would, I think, be unlikely to accept fulltime employment overseas.
af. fatte Beller
(A. J. Grattan-Bellew)
12th August, 1969