TNAG-0104-FCO40-140-Discussions-with-Governor-during-his-visits-to-UK-1969 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL

Item No. 1

Appointments from Hong Kong Bar to the

Supreme Court Bench

Sir James McPetrie said that, even where there was a

Service canditate suitable for promotion to the Supreme

court Bench, it might occasionally be desirable to appoint

someone from the Hong Kong Bar who had had extensive experience of private practice. Such appointments would, of

He did not think that a very course, be very exceptional.

occasional appointment of this kind would be a legitimate

grievance to members of the Service. They could not be

expected to like such an appointment, but he thought it would

be more acceptable to them if made at a time when there were

two or more vacancies to be filled and the other vacancy or

vacancies were filled by Service candidates.

Two vacancies

will arise in 1972 when both Sir Ivor Rigby and Mr. Blair Kerr

would be retiring.

2. The Governor said that he did not know why the Hong Kong

Bar Association had raised the issue at this time unless it

There was no-one

from the Bar whom he personally thought suitable for

appointment at the moment.

were that they were having a lean time.

In his opinion Mr. Oswald Cheung

was the best available. The Governor said that he was not

opposed in principle to a very occasional appointment from

the local Bar in the circumstances described by Sir James

McPatrie.

CONFIDENTIAL