TNAG-1445-FCO40-1929-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 24

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FROM:

D C Wilson

DATE:

10 December 1986

cc:

PS/Mr Renton

PS/PUS

Chief Clerk Mr Hum, HKD

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DEATH OF SIR E YOUDE: FUNERAL AND SOME IMPLICATIONS

1. I accompanied Mr Renton to the funeral in Hong Kong

yesterday of Sir E Youde. It was a magnificently organised ceremony carried out with great dignity. A striking feature of both the funeral and the run-up to it was the obvious

signs of grief and affection from large numbers of the ordinary

population of Hong Kong. Sir R Evans attended from Peking and

Mr McLaren from Manila. The Director of the New China News

Agency, Xu Jiatin, returned from China specially to attend the

ceremony.

Personnel Issues

2.

The next Governor. Mr Renton listened (privately) to the

views of Sir S Y Chung and Miss Lydia Dunn on the succession.

Both he and the PUS were also spoken to by many members of EXCO.

I understand that the PUS will be sending a telegram from Manila

giving his own views and drawing on what Mr Renton has said to

him.

3. Sir S Y Chung said in a full session of EXCO that he hoped EXCO would be consulted on the new appointment and given a

chance to express their views. I do not see how such formal

consultation is possible: nor do I believe it would be right.

I understand that, when Sir S Y Chung made the same point in

private, Mr Renton specifically said that he was not in a

position to respond to such a suggestion. Consideration will however have to be given as to how to give advance warning to the senior members of EXCO and LEGCO (Sir S Y Chung and Miss

Dunn) about the Ministerial decision: with an increasingly

politicised group of Unofficial Members, careful handling of

this aspect will be very important.

4.

Other personnel implications. Sir David Akers-Jones is

already Acting Governor. He will move his office to Government

House as soon as convenient to Lady Youde. He does not,

however, propose to live in Government House himself. Mr David

Ford, who was due to take over as Chief Secretary on Sir D

Akers-Jones's retirement in June 1987, will move into position

CONFIDENTIAL

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