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DEDIP
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 0411102
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CONFIDENTIAL
11 OF
TO PRIORITY FCO TELO 11 OF 4 JANUARY.
NO DISTRIBUTION
FOLLOWING FOR DUNCAN WATSON FROM MACLEHOSE. MIPT.
1 FING THIS SUBJECT RELATED TO THE QUESTION OF WHO SHOULD * SUCCEED RORHAN-WALKER AS COLONIAL SECRETARY AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
2. THE SHORT-LIST IS CLINTON (NOW DCS) AND HADDON-CAVE (FS). THE OHLY OTHER POSSIBILITY WAS ROBERTS (ATTORNEY GENERAL BUT Mond CHEF JUSTICE DESIGNATE). WHEN MR ROYLE AND WILFORD WERE HERE I SAID THAT HADDON-CAVE WAS TOO I-MATURE FOR THE JOB AND THAT IT COULD HAVE TO BE CLINTON. THE LATTER IS GREATLY RESPECTED AND TRUSTED IN THE SERVICE AND BY UNOFFICIALS, AND IS A SUPERB DCS, BUT HE LACKS THE PUBLIC PRESENCE AND FLAIR TO BE A GOOD CS, BUT BOULD BE AN ADEQUATE STOP-GAP UNTIL HADDON-CAVE WAS READY. WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE FAR FROM HAPPY AT THIS PROSPECT AND THAT THEY WOULD PREFER ROBERTS, I POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPRUDENT TO HAVE SIMULTANEOUSLY AN OUTSIDER AS GOVERNOR AND A. CS WHO WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE ADMINISTRATION SERVICE. IT WAS THE LATTER'S JOB NOT ONLY TO SEE THAT THE GOVERNOR KEPT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, BUT ALSO TO HOLD THE PERSONAL CONFIDENCE CF THE SERVICE. I ADMITTED HOWEVER THAT WAS NOT AT ALL HAPPY AT THE PROSPECT. MEANWHILE I GATHER THAT ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE FROM OUTSIDE HAVE NOT BORNE FRUIT,
3. CLINTON REACHES 55, THE NORMAL AGE OF RETIREMENT NEXT YEAR. I FAVE RITHERTO THOUGHT THAT THIS PRECLUDED HIM STAYING ON EXCEPT AS CS: NOR HAD I UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO STAY ON AS DCS. I NOV DISCOVER THAT BOTH THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE WRONG, AND THAT CERTAINLY THAT IF ROBERTS WERE MADE CS HE WOULD GLADLY STAY ON ANOTHER TWO YEARS AS DCS. HIS SUPPORT WOULD OF COURSE ENTIRELY NEGATIVE MY PREVIOUS OBJECTIONS TO ROBERTS, AND THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO WOULD BE EXTREMELY STRONG.
4. MY PRESENT RECOMMENDATION THEREFORE NOW IS THAT ROBERTS SHOULD BE OFFERED THE JOB OF CS ON NORMAN-WALKER'S RETIREMENT. THIS WOULD DE CONDITIONAL ON: