MR. LAIRD
CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG: JUDICIAL MATTERS
HKK 14/6
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2.
Please refer to my recent minutes.
With reference to that of 8 June about the petitions, Sir
Vincent Evans has made two points on the draft reply to the Bar
Committee:
(a) is it correct to refer to "the Legal and Judicial Service?"
I believe that, strictly speaking, there is no such thing, so perhaps we should say... "be found among the members of Her Majesty's Overseas Judiciary or Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service serving
in Hong Kong or elsewhere";
(b) should not the second limb of the last sentence indicate
slightly more positively that the field of selection may
have to include the Bar as well as the service to a
greater extent as time passes?
end thus.
My own assessment is that the Hong Kong bar is likely to prove a
very narrow field of selection for some time to come so that
appointments from that source in the nearish future will necessarily
be rare. To meet Sir Vincent's point perhaps the draft reply should
‚"borne in mind and due consideration will be given
to members of the Hong Kong Bar". I am anxious not to say anything
that would give an unduly alarming impression to members of the
legal and judicial service in Hong Kong but I hope this revised
formula is sufficiently guarded not to do so.
3. With reference to my minute of 8 June about the two vacancies
for Puisne Judges, I forgot to record incidentally that the Chief
Justice appears to have changed his mind in that when I saw him in
Hong Kong he told me he would be recommending Morley-John rather
than Cons.
CONFIDENTIAL
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