TNAG-0398-FCO40-444-Appointments-to-supreme-and-district-courts-from-the-Bar-in--1973 — Page 82

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HOUSE OF COMMONS

LONDON SWIA OAA

J

While I am not suggesting that all judges should be appointed from the Hong Kong Bar or English Bar, it is thought and this strikes me as good sense that one

two recruits from those sources would provide experience of civil litigation which the normal Çolonial judge or magistrate does not have, and would bridge a perceptable gulf between the Bench and Bar.

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Since I appeared in the Supreme Court, I must stress that I was treated with extreme courtesy and consideration and I do not want to be thought to be criticising any individual member of the Hong Kong Bench.

You may possibly know that the present Chief Justice, Sir Ivo Rigby, with whom in fact I had a conversation on this very topic, is retiring in the spring and could, therefore, possibly on his return England, give you a dispassionate view of the whole problem.

to

You ever

Win Rus

Anthony Royle, Esq., M.P.,

Under-Secretary of State,

Foreign and Commonwelath Office, Downing Street,

London S.W.1.