TNAG-0336-FCO40-372-Visits-of-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Sir-Murray-MacLehose--to-UK-1972 — Page 111

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VISIT TO LONDON BY SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE

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1. Mr Royle has asked for our views on this.

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When I was in Hong Kong in February Sir Murray MacLehose told me that he was thinking of visiting the UK in May. He thought it important that he should keep in personal touch with London every 6 months or so. He told me that the

Unofficial Members of the Councils had said that he was the first Governor of Hong Kong who had had first-hand experience of Whitehall; they were anxious that Hong Kong should take full advantage of that fact. I told Sir Murray MacLehose that I thought it would be particularly helpful to Hong Kong Department if we could have him in London for talks twice a year.

3. We then heard from Mr Kidd, the Hong Kong Establishment Secretary (at present on leave in the UK), that Sir Murray MacLehose was planning to come on leave in August/September, to be back in Hong Kong in time for Princess Alexandra's visit in October; and that Sir Hugh Norman-Walker would be coming on leave before Sir Murray MacLehose so that he could take over the administration of the Government when the Governor was away.

I then wrote to Sir Murray MacLehose and had a reply from him early in April that he had cancelled his plans (for a visit to the UK in May) for this year.

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5. I fully agree that a visit by Sir Murray MacLehose before Mr Royle visits Peking would be valuable. Sir Murray MacLehose will have been in Hong Kong for about 6 months and there is a whole range of subjects on which it would be most helpful to us to have his views the future composition of Ex Co and Leg Co (we have just had a Parliamentary Question about this), a series of most difficult problems in the trade field which are beginning to come to the boil, the important matter of Hong Kong's future financial policy, developments in the social services. I think it would be useful if Sir Murray MacLehose could have discussions on these questions not only with the FCO but also with those concerned in the DTI and the Treasury.

6.

In his letter to me of 6 April Sir Murray MacLehose said that he had cancelled his plans for this year "in view of Sir Leslie Monson's visit here". I think myself that he may perhaps be reluctant to ask the Hong Kong Government to pay for a passage home now when he will be coming on leave for the

I understand that best part of 2 months as soon as August.

the normal arrangement is that HMG pay for the passage out of a Governor on first appointment and the passage back on his retirement and that the cost of passages to the UK for leave

I also during his service are met by the local government.

understand

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