TNAG-0398-FCO40-444-Appointments-to-supreme-and-district-courts-from-the-Bar-in--1973 — Page 49

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Reference. HKK 148

Mr Fifoot (Legal Advisers W 44/3)

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(1972)

ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS ON JUDGES AND OTHER LEGAL OFFICERS IN DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

Your minute of 5 July to Mr Scanlon.

2. I agree with your views on the desirability of continuing confidential reporting on the present basis. I think this is particularly important in Hong Kong in view of the fairly large legal establishment, and the amount of parliamentary and other interest in this country in the administration of law in Hong Kong.

3. You raised the question of lack of comment from either the Colonial Secretary or the Governor of Hong Kong on judges' annual reports, apart from that of the Chief Justice. The Governor did reply to Sir Leslie Monson's letter of 7 June 1972, but his reply only dealt with the appointment under consideration at that time hat of Sir Ivo Rigby's successor. In a sense, Sir Leslie's letter did not call for a reply on the point about the Governor's comments on judges' reports; he ended up by saying "it is probably a matter of no great importance since we always get the Governor's views where any question of promotion is concerned." Would you like us to take up this, and the more general question of confidential reporting, with the Colonial Secretary?

4. I also agree that there is a case for extending the annual confidential reports system to judicial and legal officers on contract in other dependencies.

For Hong

5. The list of senior legal appointments in Dependent Territories which you circulated with your minute is correct as far as the Seychelles is concerned. Kong, as you know, we have recently received a recommendation for the appointment of Mr Morley-John to fill the vacancy of Puisne Judge caused by Mr Briggs' appointment as Chief Justice.

R B Crowson

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

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рпк

2517

18 July 1973

cc:

Mr Roberts (Caribbean Dept)

Mr Champion (G & GD)

Mr Glason (PDTD)

Mr Huijsman (WIAD)

Mr Rushford (Legal Advisers)

(17703) 807465 606

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