GR 275
IMMEDIATE
CLAIR
FM HONG KONG 231030Z
UNCLASSIFIED
TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 373 OF 23 MARCH 1978
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
GOVERNORS EXTENSION.
FOR STEWART FROM WIGGHAM.
Hkk 00
2 8 MAR 1978
PA
No
Tas
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS GAVE BLANKET COVERAGE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND
THE GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT THOUGH ONLY ROUTINE OR MINOR COVERAGE
WAS GIVEN BY THE LEFT-WING PRESS. THE SCMP HEADLINE WAS
''WE'RE GLAD YOU CAN STAY, SIR MURRAY'' AND ITS EDITORIAL ENTITLED ''FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH SIR MURRAY''.
2. ALL THREE ENGLISH AND FIVE CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS CARRIED
EDITORIALS WELCOMING THE EXTENSION. THE GENERAL THEME WAS THAT
THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO COMPLETE 'UNFINISHED
BUSINESS'' AND PUSH THROUGH HIS AMBITIOUS DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL PROGRAMMES.
3. MANY PAPERS QUOTED THE USUAL SPOKESMEN AS WELCOMING THE MOVE AND VARIOUSLY COMMENTING ON THE GOVERNOR'S ACHIEVEMENTS, FIRM LEADERSHIP, DIPOLMATIC SKILL AND UNSOLVED PROBLEMS. THERE WERE REFERENCES TO ICAC, DIVERSIFICATION, LAW AND ORDER, GREEN PAPERS. SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THE CHOICE OF GOVERNOR MADE LITTLE DIRECT DIFFERENCE TO THEM.
4 COMMENTS WERE ALSO MADE ON THE DIFFICULTY OF CHOOSING A SUCCESSOR WHO, ACCORDING TO ''SOURCES'', WOULD NEED TO BE A. FAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG.
B. ACCEPTABLE TO CHINESE AUTHORITIES.
C. ACCEPTABLE TO FCO.
5. THE DIFFICULTY OF CHANGING GOVERNOR BEFORE UK'S GENERAL
ELECTION WAS ALSO MENTIONED BY ONE OR TWO PAPERS.
MACLEHOSE
FILES HK & GD (5) NEWS D
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY