TNAG-0363-FCO40-409-Appointments-of-senior-officers-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 114

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RIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F.C.O. 021843Z

DE DIP

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

(GIB & GEN)

15

8

ج

TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 136 OF 2 FEBRUARY.

4

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM WATSON. YOUR TELEGRAMS NOS 113, 114, 115 AND 121: SENIOR APPOINTMENTS,

1973

1. I REALISE THE EMBARRASSMENT CAUSED BY THE LOCAL SPECULATION. WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO HURRY THINGS UP, BUT THE COLONIAL SECRETARY AND CHIEF JUSTICE APPOINTMENTS ARE NOW LINKED TOGETHER

AND I DOUBT IF WE CAN BRING MATTERS TO THE STAGE OF PUBLIC

ANNOUNCEMENT MUCH BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.

2. AS YOU KNOW THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF DENYS ROBERTS AS COLONIAL SECRETARY ON 6 FEBRUARY.

BUT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE

QUEEN HAS AGREED TO THE CHANGE OF RECOMMENDATION FOR CHIEF

JUSTICE. NOR WOULD IT BE FAIR TO ROBERTS TO SUBMIT TO THE PALACE

BEFORE THE BOARD HAVE RECOMMENDED AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE

APPROVED HIS APPOINTMENT AS COLONIAL SECRETARY.

3. WE ACCEPT YOUR ARGUMENTS AD HOMINEM ON THE CHIEF JUSTICE. WE DO

NOT THINK, HOWEVER, THAT THE AGE RULE SHOULD BE CHANGED UNLESS THERE ARE SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT THE SUITABILITY OF THE YOUNGER

CANDIDATE AND THE OLDER CANDIDATE IS SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER. THIS IS

EVIDENTLY NOT SO IN THE PRESENT CASE. MOREOVER IN THE LIGHT OF THE REPRESENTATIONS BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BAR COUNCIL, IT WOULD

BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE THE RULE FOR BLAIR-KERR AND TO IGNORE

RIGBY. WE THEREFORE PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND THE APPOINTMENT OF BRIGGS.

4. WE ARE TACKLING THE GOVERNOR OF BERMUDA ABOUT HOBLEY.

15.