PRIORITY

CYPHER CAT A

F HONG KONG 080455Z

DEDIP

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

HKK Olofet

9780. 51

10 AD 1978

INDEX

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 443 OF 8 APRIL 1978. No

FOR PUS FROM GOVERNOR

D

YOUR TELNO 286: APPOINTMENTS IN HONG KONG.

PA

See 8

37

1. NEW COMMISSIONER AGAINST CORRUPTION. I WILL SOUND OUT YANG

AND IF HE REFUSES (BUT I WILL PRESS HIM VERY HARD) LUDDINGTON,

AND REPORT THE OUTCOME.

2. DATE OF ROBERTS/CATER HANDOVER. I DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT YOUR

STRONG PREFERENCE FOR 31 AUGUST RATHER THAN 30 SEPTEMBER IS

BASED. BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW I NEED ROBERTS IN CHARGE DURING

THE RUN-UP TO MY LEGCO SPEECH AFTER RETURNING FROM LEAVE, SINCE HE WILL HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE IN MY ABSENCE FOR THE PREPARATION

OF THE DECISIONS AND THE MATERIAL REQUIRED. A HANDOVER MUCH BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER WOULD THEREFORE BE MOST INCONVENIENT.

MOREOVER I WOULD LIKE TO BE FREE FROM THE DISTRACTIONS OF

SPEECH PREPARATIONS WHEN CATER TAKES OVER.

3. PROVIDED WE CAN KEEP TO JUNE 15 FOR ANNOUNCEMENT OF ALL THESE

CHANGES, THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTION TO CATER HANDING OVER AS CAC ON JULY 15 RATHER THAN 31ST, BUT A MONTH AND PREFERABLY SIX WEEKS BETWEEN ANNOUNCEMENT AND HANDOVER WOULD BE DESIRABLE

TO AVOID SPECULATION ABOUT A RUSHED CHANGE UNDER EG POLICE

PRESSURE. ALSO YANG WILL NEED TIME TO FINISH OFF AND TAKE SOME

LEAVE.

MACLEHOSE

NO DISTRIBUTION:

HEAD HKGD

MR CORTAZZI

HEAD POD

FS/LORD GORONWY ROBERTS

-- FS/FUS

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL

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