TNAG-0700-FCO40-852-Appointment-of-District-and-High-Court-Judges-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 53

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4.

In a speech to the Legislative Council last November, the Attorney General made it clear that a greater output of law graduates from the University of Hong Kong is the only practical way in which greater localisation of the Government's legal and judicial services can be achieved. The present annual intake of the Department of Law in the University is 55. We understand that an increase in the annual intake is under active consideration.

5.

In furtherance of our localisation policy, we have for some years maintained legal scholarship schemes under which serving officers are assisted to qualify as lawyers in the hope that they will remain in the public service thereafter. About 10 serving officers

There

are taken into the scholarship schemes each year. are at present 15 such officers at the University of Hong Kong and 9 in the United Kingdom under these schemes. In addition, the Attorney General takes into his Chambers articled clerks; there

at present 4 persons serving

under this articleship scheme.

6.

I am afraid that the preponderance of expatriates in the legal and judicial services is likely to continue for some considerable time in the future. However, I can assure you that we are all very conscious of the need to localise.

Yours ever

силь

Markin Lubels

(Martin Rowlands)

Secretary for the Civil Service