(18) *
(i)
CONFIDENTIAL
96
Mr Aford
THE JUDICIARY, HONG KONG
PROBLEM
1.
To consider how the Secretary of State should reply
to two petitions about the appointment of members of the
Hong Kong Bar to senior judicial posts in Hong Kong, one
from the Hong Kong Bar Association (the Bar Petition)
arguing in favour of such appointments and one from
a group of two District Judges and eight Magistrates,
(the judicial officers' petition) arguing against
them.
W
(ii) to a recommendation regarding appointment to two new
2.
posts of Puisne Judge. The Governor recommends appointment
to one of them of a member of the Hong Kong Bar, Mr
Jackson-Lipkin.
For the second post the Governor
recommends supersession of an older District Judge
(Mr Morley Johns) by a younger (Mr Cons).
In November 1970 it was agreed that, "even where there was
a Service candidate suitable for promotion to the Supreme
Court Bench, it might occasionally be desirable to advance
someone from the Hong Kong Bar, who had extensive experience
of private practice. Such appointments would of course be
very exceptional". The Governor has recommended that such an appointment should now be made by the advancement of
Mr Jackson-Lipkin.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.