Original on RC. 204/81/022
Sir Arthur Grattan-Bellew
I would like to let Sir David Trench have an answer to his letter fairly soon and accept that he should be told in it that our examination of the possibility of suitable candidates from elsewhere in the Service has shown that there are none whose qualifications for the Chief Justiceship of Hong Kong are superior to those of either of the two local candidates and that this applies also to Sir Clifford Hammett, whom the Governor particularly mentioned to us. 2. Before drafting is put in hand however there are two subsidiary points on which I would welcome further clarification. First, I should like if possible to give the Governor a fuller explanation of the reasons why Sir Clifford Hammett does not come up to standard and paragraph 5 of Sir James Mc Petrie's minute of 30th July is not really in a form which it would be suitable to repeat to the Governor! Secondly, I do not follow your own argument that it is too early to make a recommendation and should have thought there was advantage in the recommendation coming forward as soon as possible, though any decision on it would be kept confidential until Sir Michael Hogan is nearer the date of his departure. It would then be possible to carry
out
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.