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21 March 1977
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J A B Stewart Esq OBE c/o Government House HONG KONG
LAST
67
REF
TURNER STUDY OF LABOUR RELATIONS
RECEIVED IN REY Ks. @!
21 MAR 1977
HKK 212/548,
1. You will remember that there was a slip-up last year over letting the Governor have a copy of the then Secretary of State's letter of 24 May to Len Murray about the arrangements for Professor Turner's study. Bearing this in mind, it has occurred to me that we should perhaps let the Governor have copies of the letters that the present Secretary of State wrote to Len Murray and the Director- General of the CBI on 17 March with which he enclosed copies of Turner's report and informed them of his decision to invite Turner to complete his study. I am enclosing copies of the letters so that, if you agree, you can pass them on to the Governor.
2. I am not sure whether in the rush before your departure you noticed the Secretary of State's comment on your submission. You will remember saying at the end of your submission that the Governor felt that it would not be proper for him to comment on Professor Turner's study until it had been completed, ie that he was not going to comment on the "interim and provisional" review. Against this, the Secretary of State wrote "An odd view - do we agree?". Personally, I think that the Governor should have commented but, since you are by his side I do not want to launch off some missive asking him to reconsider his attitude. If you agree I think it might be worth your telling the Governor that the Secretary of State himself is taking an interest in the Turner study and has queried the Governor's conclusion that he should not offer comments at this stage.
Encls
RESTRICTED
D F Milton
Hong Kong Department
Gin Sent to the Haust
, 3.
OLAD.