TNAG-0726-FCO40-929-Appointment-of-Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 25

GR 275

IMMEDIATE

CLAIR

FM HONG KONG 231030Z

UNCLASSIFIED

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 373 OF 23 MARCH 1978

INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

GOVERNORS EXTENSION.

FOR STEWART FROM WIGGHAM.

Hkk 00

2 8 MAR 1978

PA

No

Tas

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS GAVE BLANKET COVERAGE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND

THE GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT THOUGH ONLY ROUTINE OR MINOR COVERAGE

WAS GIVEN BY THE LEFT-WING PRESS. THE SCMP HEADLINE WAS

''WE'RE GLAD YOU CAN STAY, SIR MURRAY'' AND ITS EDITORIAL ENTITLED ''FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH SIR MURRAY''.

2. ALL THREE ENGLISH AND FIVE CHINESE LANGUAGE PAPERS CARRIED

EDITORIALS WELCOMING THE EXTENSION. THE GENERAL THEME WAS THAT

THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO COMPLETE 'UNFINISHED

BUSINESS'' AND PUSH THROUGH HIS AMBITIOUS DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL PROGRAMMES.

3. MANY PAPERS QUOTED THE USUAL SPOKESMEN AS WELCOMING THE MOVE AND VARIOUSLY COMMENTING ON THE GOVERNOR'S ACHIEVEMENTS, FIRM LEADERSHIP, DIPOLMATIC SKILL AND UNSOLVED PROBLEMS. THERE WERE REFERENCES TO ICAC, DIVERSIFICATION, LAW AND ORDER, GREEN PAPERS. SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THE CHOICE OF GOVERNOR MADE LITTLE DIRECT DIFFERENCE TO THEM.

4 COMMENTS WERE ALSO MADE ON THE DIFFICULTY OF CHOOSING A SUCCESSOR WHO, ACCORDING TO ''SOURCES'', WOULD NEED TO BE A. FAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG.

B. ACCEPTABLE TO CHINESE AUTHORITIES.

C. ACCEPTABLE TO FCO.

5. THE DIFFICULTY OF CHANGING GOVERNOR BEFORE UK'S GENERAL

ELECTION WAS ALSO MENTIONED BY ONE OR TWO PAPERS.

MACLEHOSE

FILES HK & GD (5) NEWS D

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY