STAFF IN CONFIDENCE
Wd like to
Sir Athur Galsworthy
(101)
Consider fumes i
Keep in PO.
5
c.c.to: Mr. Brighty
HONG KONG
1876
As you know, the Minister of State has been in some doubt as to whether the Secretary of State was prepared to recommend to the Prime Minister that Sir David Trench's term of office should be extended by one year as proposed. He now assumes, however, from the Secretary of State's note on Mr. Mackilligin's minute (Flag A), and his amendments to your draft, that Mr. Thomson has decided that the recommendation should go forward. What is not clear to Lord Shepherd is whether the Secretary of State wishes the recommendation to go forward now - submitted on his behalf by the Minister of State -or whether it should await his return from the Far East. Mr. Brighty feels that the former is what Mr. Thomson has in mind.
2. As is usual during holidays No.10 cannot guarantee that the Prime Minister will deal with any particular paper during the Recess, unless it is really urgent. The question exercising Lord Shepherd's mind is therefore: Can we really convince No.10 that a decision must be given before the end of the Whitsun Recess on 12 June bearing in mind that Sir David's term of office does not end until next April? Quite frankly he doubts whether a convincing case can be made out (but is open to your views on this) and fears that an untimely approach could be counter- productive.
3.
If the Prime Minister is not likely to deal with this matter until after the Whitsun Recess, Lord Shepherd's view is that the best course would be to have a letter ready for the Commonwealth Secretary to send off after his return to this country on 14 June. He would, in that letter, concentrate on the arguments put forward in the second paragraph of his minute of 13 May (Flag B). Perhaps something along the lines of his redraft (Flag C)?
4.
Lord Shepherd is ready to discuss this matter with you if you so wish.
Mr. Barrington.
(C.H. Godden) 5 June, 1968
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