From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
35 गिटार 14/12
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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RCF.
7
London S.W.I
15 November 1973
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KEF.
You will remember our correspondence earlier this year, resting with my letter of 9 March about appointments to the Hong Kong Bench.
As you are no doubt already aware, Sir Ivo Rigby has now retired. The new Chief Justice is Mr. Justice Briggs. The Governor has also recently created two new district judgeships. There poste have been filled by the appointments of members of the Hong Kong Bar, Gerald De Basto, Q.C. and Benjamin T. M. Liu, Q.0.
As regards the appointment and calibre of magistrates, which we talked about earlier, you may like to know that we have had an opportunity durin the year to discuss the matter with the now Chief Justice, with Denys Roberts, formerly Attorney- General and now Colonial Secretary, and with the DOW Attorney-General, Hobley. Their general view iu bin the calibre of the expatriate magistracy is satis- factory, although it does take time for newcomers 60 find their feet and adjust themselves to the long Kong scene. Measures are being taken in Hong Pong to deal with these problems of adjustment and he ble position of new magistrates should therefore become easier. The Chief Justice has said that he would prefer to continue recruiting older men, as the expense of living in Hong Kong for young married couples with children presents problems of housing, schooling and transportation.
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