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STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
CONFIDENTIAL
Акс
02617...
Am 1978
RA
Mur. Stewart
Mr Murray PS/POS
INDEX
[ction 1.
Top 34 14
CALL ON THE PUS BY THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG
1. Sir Murray MacLehose is calling on the PUS at 3.00 p.m. on 25 April. The Governor will previously have had a meeting with Lord Goronwy-Roberts: I attach a copy of the briefs prepared for this meeting, which the PUS may find helpful in preparation for his own meeting.
2. The Governor may also raise the subject of capital punishment, about which the PUS wrote to him (in common with the Governors of other territories where capital punishment is retained) on 4 April. In this letter the PUS informed Governors of the recent Cabinet decision not to make any change in the present policy towards capital punishment in dependent territories. Sir M MacLehose has welcomed this decision: from Hong Kong's point of view, the present position can be defended indefinitely, but any change in policy would be likely to provoke a major debate on the whole issue. There are strong feelings in Hong Kong in favour of capital punishment.
3. Sir Murray may also wish to refer to forthcoming changes in senior appointments in Hong Kong. His own appointment has recently been extended until August 1979. He had originally proposed that the present Chief Secretary should remain in post to see in the new Governor. He has now suggested that the present Chief Secretary, Sir Denys Roberts should leave at the end of September 1978 to be replaced by Mr Jack Cater, the present Commissioner Against Corruption. Sir Denys Roberts, after an extended period of leave, would succeed as Chief Justice in May 1979. Mr Cater would be appointed Chief Secretary for two years only, thus giving the next Governor a reasonably early opportunity to replace him if he wishes to do so. These changes have been agreed in London, although we would have preferred the change in Chief Secretary to have taken place a couple of months earlier had this been practicable.
CONFIDENTIAL
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