PRIORITY
CYP ER/CAT A
MF CO 271545Z
DEDIP
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
(38)
TOP COP"
(HKIOD)
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 617 OF 27 JULY.
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM WILFORD
JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
LAE
(18)
روش
1. I AM VERY SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO WAIT SO LONG FOR A REPLY
TO YOUR SAVING DESPATCH STAFF 37 OF 25 APRIL. TWO COMPLICATIONS
HAVE ARISEN &
A) THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS HAD A FORMAL LETTER FROM. MR HENRY LITTON (COPY BY BAG TOGETHER WITH COPY OF FORMAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT) WRITTEN IN HIS CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION,
PLACING ON RECORD THE VIEW THAT ANY APPOINTMENT TO THE BENCH OF
THE SUPREME COURT OF HONG KONG OF A PRACTISING BARRISTER OF LESS
THAN 12 YEARS STANDING AT THE HONG KONG BAR OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN
ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN THE COLONY DURING THAT PERIOD, WOULD NOT
COMMAND THE RESPECT OF THE BAR".
THIS SUGGESTS THAT THE ASSOCIATION HAS GOT WIND OF YOUR PROPOSAL
IN RESPECT OF JACKSON-LIPKIN AND HAS CHOSEN THIS WAY OF MAKING
THEIR VIEWS KNOWN TO US, ANNEXED TO THE LETTER IS A LIST OF 14
MEMBERS OF THE BAR WHO ARE APPARENTLY SO QUALIFIED, MR LITTON HIMSELF FOR 12 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS, YOU MAY ALREADY BE AWARE OF TILLS APPROACH, BUT IT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO US TO KNOW HOW MUCH IMPORTANCE YOU ATTACH TO THESE REPRESENTATIONS.
(B) UNDER COLONIAL REGULATION 18 WE ARE BOUND TO CONSIDER WHETHER THERE IS ANY MERITORIOUS CANDIDATE ALREADY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
WHOSE CLAIMS TO THE VACANT POST SHOULD PROPERLY BE CONSIDERED AS
SUPERIOR TO THOSE OF JACKSON-LIPKIN. ONE SUCH PERSON IS MR JUSTICE TRAINOR, AGED 58, SERVING IN THE NEW HEBRIDES SINCE 1962, LHOSE EARLIER CAREER IS TO BE FOUND IN THE COLONIAL OFFICE LIST
1966. HE SEEMS A SUITABLE CANDIDATE AND IS OVERDUE FOR A MOVE.
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