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PRIORITY
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FM F C O 141235Z
DEDIP
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
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HKK 1/9
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 254 OF 14 MARCH, 1973
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM WATSON.
MIPT: APPOINTMENT OF COLONIAL SECRETARY
PIA
Des 15/3
1, PARAGRAPH 2 BELOW CONTAINS THE DRAFT OF A LETTER OF APPOINTMENT
WHICH YOU SHOULD ISSUE TO DENYS ROBERTS IMMEDIATELY.
2.
I AM DIRECTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO OFFER YOU APPOINTMENT AS COLONIAL SECRETARY,
HONG KONG. THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE AS PRESCRIBED FROM TIME
TO TIME. YOU WOULD BE EXPECTED TO TAKE UP THE APPOINTMENT WITH
EFFECT FROM 1 JANUARY 1974.
YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS APPOINTMENT WOULD NOT PRECLUDE YOU
FROM CONSIDERATION FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE HONG KONG WHEN
THAT POST NEXT FALLS VACANT, THOUGH YOU SHOULD APPRECIATE THAT THE
QUESTION OF YOUR SUITABILITY FOR APPOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE WOULD
THEN HAVE TO BE ASSESSED AGAIN FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW.
I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INFORM ME WHETHER OR NOT YOU
ACCEPT THIS APPOINTMENT.
I AM
SIR
YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT''
3. SHOULD YOU OR ROBERTS FEEL IT NECESSARY TO SET OUT IN FULL
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AT PRESENT OBTAINING FOR THIS APPOINTMENT
THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTION TO YOUR SETTING THESE OUT IN THE BODY
OF THE LETTER OR AS AN ADDENDUM THERETO.
4. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD LET US HAVE A COPY OF THE
LETTER YOU ISSUE TO ROBERTS AND A COPY OF HIS REPLY,
DOUGLAS-HOME
FILE S: HEAD HKIOD
HEAD G & G D MR. LARMOUR
MR. WILFORD
SIR D. WATSON
COPIES TO:
MR. FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISER MR. KUSHFORD, LEGAL ADVISER