TNAG-0314-FCO40-350-Appointments-to-judiciary-of-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 124

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on serving officers without prior announcement would be in

very bad taste. Far better, to come out into the open and

risk some inevitable unfavourable comment. The Governor's Circular does state the position very fairly. By separating the criteria for appointṛents into 2 paragraphs (4 & B), he does emphasize the exceptional nature of the

proposed steps. As to the actual mechanics of issuing the Circular, there are no doubt various ways of going about it apart from that suggested by the Governor, but his way at least ensures that every officer is informed.

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APB Lamber

(A.P.B. Lambert)

19 March, 1971

It has been agreed witte the Govenor that appointmenti from the bar to the Beuch might occasionally be desirable. Such appointment would be more easily accepted by the Judicial Service in Hong Kong if it were made at a time when several new appointmund's 15 the Supreme Court Bench are due to be made. Such a hive is nors

affwording swoing to the impending retirement of the Chief Justice and Justices Scholes, Blair -Kers and Mills - Owens

The Governor considers it desirable to warn serving Officers of the posicbility of an apponituent from the Bar, He considers that the forthcoming announcement of the first too appointments to replace retiving judges might afford a suitable opportunity for the visue of the Circular which he submits for approval.

H an apponitument from the Bow is to be reade, it will be essential to give prior warning to sewing Officers who will be assessing the prospects of then own promotion. The Governor's proposal about timing seems

acceptable.

The wording of the craft Circular could perhaps be altered, without detracting from its purpose, by omission of the first two lines of paragraph 6; it does not seem necessary to draw the attention of serving officers specifically to the dimunshment of then career prospects. They will surely realise this themselves.

Since the proposal that serping officers should be warned by means of a circular sout to them by the