TNAG-0398-FCO40-444-Appointments-to-supreme-and-district-courts-from-the-Bar-in--1973 — Page 73

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7. The appointment of judges is primarily a matter for the

Secretary of State, acting in consultation with the Governor,

who is advised as appropriate by the Chief Justice of Hong Kong.

Mr Rushford advises that in any letter to Mr Rees we should be

completely non-committal about judges until the appointment of

the new Chief Justice has been announced. It might look a little

odd to send him a detailed letter on the appointment of magistrates

when what he has asked about is the appointment of judges. I

therefore recommend that Mr Royle should send an interim reply

on both questions on the lines of the attached draft, promising

to write again when the appointment of the new Chief Justice has

been announced.

8. Mr Rushford and Mr Fifoot concur.

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

with the ?!? gov? A period

7 March 1973

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