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(c) Although Hong Kong will no doubt be the main source for
reciprocal secondments (paragraph 7 of your paper) we should not overlook any possibility of organising an exchange, or even an unrequited inward secondment, with one of the smaller dependencies. Experience in a small territory would for example be more relevant than in Hong Kong for the "Yaxley job" in WIAD, if that post can be restored but cannot be filled from London.
(a)
3.
As regards selection policy, it is implicit in paragraph 3 (a) of your paper, that as between apparently equally qualified officers we should still give priority to HMOCS candidates. And, while I agree that between DS Officers an HMOCS background is of decreasing relevance as time passes (paragraph 5 of your paper), I would still regard it as a plus, for motivation and local compatibility (especially with the other, mainly professional, expatriates). So I suggest that for the time being anyway we maintain our present order of priority as between candidates of roughly equal competence, viz (i) HMOCS, (ii) ex-HMOCS DS, (iii) DS.
As you say, the Legal and Judicial staffing question can be considered separately, when Mr Greenwood and you have proposals ready for what you have found to be a smaller and more easily manageable commitment than it has sometimes seemed to be.
8 June 1977
Cc:
Mr Cortazzi Mr Carrick
Mr Bullock
Mr Duff
C
1. Stanley
HSH Stanley
Imanolactone. Govenas
es's
Beachcombers. new Yaxley
Mr Preston
Mr Greenwood
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