XN000022-1976-04-26 — Page 2

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1976

SENIOR APPOINTMENTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE

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IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT MR. JAMES ROBSON, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, WILL RETIRE FROM THE HONG KONG CÍVIL SERVICE IN JUNE, AFTER OVER 35 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CROWN.

MR. ROBSON WHO IS 57 YEARS OF AGE, SERVED WITH THE ROYAL MARINE, REACHING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN, DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. HE JOINED THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AS AN ENGINEER IN MAY 1946. HE WAS PROMOTED TO CHIEF ENGINEER IN DECEMBER 1956, TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IN APRIL 1958 AND TO THE RANK OF DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IN NOVEMBER 1961, HE SUCCEEDED MR. A.M. J. WRIGHT AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IN MARCH 1969. HE WAS APPOINTED AS SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN JUNE 1973.

MR. ROBSON IS A FELLOW OF THE INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, A MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND A FELLOW OF THE INSTITUTE OF ARBITRATORS. HE WAS APPOINTED A COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE IN 1972.

MR. DEREK J.C. JONES WILL REPLACE MR. ROBSON AS SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TAKING UP THE APPOINTMENT WHEN HE COMES BACK FROM LEAVE EARLY IN SEPTEMBER. MR. JONES HAS BEEN SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES SINCE 1973 AND BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE IN 1971, HAD SERVED FOR 21 YEARS IN THE U.K. CIVIL SERVICE.

MR. DAVID G. JEAFFRESON WILL REPLACE MR. JONES AS SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER. MR. JEAFFRESON WAS APPOINTED DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY SINCE 1972 AFTER THREE YEARS IN THE FINANCE BRANCH. HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. BEFORE COMING TO H.K., HE WAS IN THE TANGANYIKA GOVERNMENT SERVICE.

MR. HENRY CHING WILL ACT AS DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY FROM MID-JULY, WHEN MR. JEAFFRESON GOES ON ANNUAL LEAVE, MR. CHING, WHO PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT, HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS IN THE FINANCE BRANCH,

MR. ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT WILL ACT AS SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT FROM MR. ROBSON'S DEPARTURE IN MID-JUNE UNTIL MR. JONES' RETURN IN SEPTEMBER. MR. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT, WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY A PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT CIVIL ENGINEER IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HAS SERVED IN THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH SINCE 1973.

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