CONFIDENTIAL
A.R. Rushford, Esq., C.M.G., Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Downing Street,
London, S.W.1.
Im
dem íney,
CHIEF JUSTICE'S CHAMBERS
COURTS OF JUSTICE
HONG KONG
7th November, 1973.
29
34
Thank you very much for your letter, reference HKK 14/12, of the 31st October with its enclosure.
Just after the publication on October 24th there was a Bar Mess. I am an Associate Member of the Hong Kong Bar Association and attended. I sat next to Mr. Gerald de Basto, who is the Chairman of the Committee of the Bar Association. I asked him point blank who was the spokesman for the Association. Putting on his most prim expression he said he was not allowed to tell me. I pointed out that I was an Associate Member and should be entitled to know who my spokesman was. I also told him that I thought I knew who it was and suggested that nothing is secret in Hong Kong and that I could easily find out who it was. Again, I asked him who it was receiving the same answer. This all took place at the dinner table and it interested me to see how long all the ears of those around us grew. So upset was Gerald that we rose without having toasted The Queen. This, of course, has given rise to lots
of rumours.
Later that week, Mr. de Basto's Secretary informed my Secretary that a very important letter was coming to me. I have no hesitation in saying that I thought that was a letter to withdraw his acceptance of the post of District Court Judge. Anyway, the letter has never arrived. Instead, he sent me a letter about the correct method of addressing District Court Judges. I wrote to you about this some days ago. That letter, and I hadn't noticed this at the time, although written on Bar Association notepaper was signed "Gerald de Basto" and not in his capacity as Chairman of the Bar Association. All this is very childish and I am making it quite clear to John Hobley and others that nothing will induce me to
Cont'd