TNAG-1466-FCO40-1993-Visits-by-Sir-Edward-Youde--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-UK-1986 — Page 101

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 250

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 120

OF 12085OZ JANUARY 86

TOP COPY

FOLLOWING FOR GALSWORTHY, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT FROM:

GOVERNOR.

2

MY TELNO 112 : WSFT TO LONDON

HRR 0:26/4.

1. NN MY TELNO 112 # HAVE REFERRED TO THE JUDICIARY. THIS IS

A QUESTION OF SOME CONCERN TO ME.

THE HARD FACTS ARE THAT IT IS AT PRESENT ALMOST ENTIRELY

EXPATRIATE: THAT CONTINUATION OF PRESENT POLICIES WOULD LEAD, IF ANYTHING, TO IT BECOMING MORE SO: AND THAT EVEN WITH SOME EXCEPTIONAL MEASURES (WHICH AM NOW CONSIDERING WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE) DOUBT VERY MUCH WHETHER WE CAN HOPE FOR A JUDICIARY OF WHICH EVEN HALF THE MEMBERS WOULD BE HONG KONG

CHINESE BY 1997.

STRY

1 5 JAN 1986

2. MY SECOND CONCERN IS THAT THE EXISTING INCUMBENTS ARE PRESSING

FOR ARRANGEMENTS WHICH EXTEND THEIR RETIRING AGES: ONE OF THE

CONSEQUENCES OF THIS COULD BE THE DEPARTURE OF APOUT A THIRD OF THE SENIOR JUDICIARY IN THE YEARS JUST BEFORE 1997. THESE ARE THE

KIND OF ISSUES WHICH AM DISCUSSING WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

THE FUTURE OF THE JUDICIARY IS VERY MUCH A MATTER FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO HAVE A TALK WITH HIM ON IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE MAY NEED SOME HEROIC

DECISIONS.

YOUDE

ымітся

HKD

PS

PS/MR RENTON

Ps/Pus

SiR W. HARDING

MR WILSON

CONFIDENTIAL

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