CONFIDENTIAL
со
3.
These latest telegrams mean that the draft letter which I
submitted on 10 March has been overtaken. I now submit a revised
letter to Lord Benson in reply to his letters of 23 and 25 February
informing him in confidence of the new developments. It would be
desirable if the letter could reach Lord Benson before the news
becomes public on 17 March.
17. R. Pane
A R Paul
Mr Hum and I discussed this case with Sir D Wilson in Hong Kong on 8 March, shortly before the Governor's departure for a visit to Japan. He was about to sign a letter to Sir D Roberts asking him to see Mr Justice Barker before his (Sir D Roberts') final departure from Hong Kong on 14 March and to put to him the solution which Mr Justice Barker has now accepted. The Governor said that he had insisted that Sir D Roberts (rather than his successor, Sir T L Yang) should take on the delicate task of explaining matters to Mr Justice Barker. Sir D Roberts had been far from confident that he would succeed in persuading Mr Justice Barker to resign. It is a great relief that he was able to do so.
2.
Sir D Wilson has not had an easy time dealing with this case, faced as he was by a reluctance on the part of Sir D Roberts to take any disagreeable action in his final months and by different and sometimes conflicting advice from Sir D Roberts and Sir TL Yang. I hope that the Secretary of State will agree that the outcome is satisfactory. Though the arrangements may be regarded as а little generous to Mr Justice Barker, particularly in financial terms, they are, I believe justified by his sad personal circumstances.
Диверт
14 March 1988
CC: Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
CONFIDENTIAL
RJT McLaren