thar
played this B.
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10
Mr Fifeot (Legal Advisers Department)
I fully agree that Mr Li's promotion should be approved. The reasons are set out in the first sentence of paragraph 8 of the Governor's despatch of 31 March.
1.
2.
Unless you feel strongly on the matter I would however prefer not to go back to the Governor as you propose.
Before finally making up our minds about this we ought perhaps to see the other document referred to in paragraph 5 of the Governor's despatch. In coming to this tentative view I have been influenced by 2 facts- first, the comments about Mr Morley-John contained in paragraph 9 of the Governor's despatch of 5 February 1970 were, of course, written after the confidential report on Mr Morley- John to which you have referred; secondly, if we do not accept that Mr Morley-John is the best candidate for the job, who will we suggest in his place? It seems to me that the only other candidate from Hong Kong is Mr Leonard but that, as he has had less than a year's experience on the District Court Bench, it would be unfair to promote him ahead of Mr Morley-John (who is, we are told, "an able, competent, conscientious and hard-working judge" who has been a DJ since 2 October 1967).
3. There is also of course Sir Jocelyn Bodilly, Chief Justice Western Pacific, about whom Sir J McPetrie minuted to me on 13 April. I would not recommend however that he be considered for appointment in Hong Kong on this occasion.
4. In short, I agree with the ODA.
This
5. I notice that somebody has noted in the margin opposite paragraph 9 of the Governor's despatch of 31 March 1971, that the proposed Draft Circular has not been seen by the ODA. is not true. I sent a copy of it to Mr West in Pensions Branch
A of the Overseas Service Department of the ODA on 1 April. copy of my letter (with enclosures) is attached; may wish to see it.
Mr Greenland
1
Zarin
E O Laird
Hong Kong Department
13 May 1971
Petris
St. James me later
Plis
Srr
hu. Laird's minuts aboor.
May for discuss.
Pand hford 13.0
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
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