Mr Duff
10
Reference HKG 025/3
below
1 CROWN COLONY'
1.
In view of the work of my Section I thought that after reading your Department's very interesting acount "Cayman Islands; The UN Visiting Mission dated May 1977" I ought to mention that we have recently consulted Legal Officers regarding the use of the term 'Crown Colony'. (As you will be aware the two Dependent Territories which are generally referred to as 'Crown Colonies' are Gibraltar and Hong Kong.)
2.
Legal Advisers consider that we should be advised in this matter, as with so many others, by Sir Kenneth Robert Wray in his 'Commonwealth and Colonial Law. I attach the relevant extract and Legal
Advisers have particularly drawn my attention to the final sentence: "This (the reference 'Crown Colony') is vague enough to demonstrate that the term is one which it is better to avoid". Therefore Legal Advisers suggest that we do not use the term.
3.
I should, of course, have spotted the reference to the Caymans as a 'Crown Colony' is the text of your Department's minute when you showed it to me last week.
CODE 18-77
2 June 1977
J S Jasper
Hong Kong and General Department K270
233-4069
Enc