TNAG-1828-FCO40-2596-Hong-Kong-legal-practitioners-and-judiciary-Jury-(Amendment-1988 — Page 104

CONFIDENTIAL STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

101437

MDLIAN 0778

CONFIDENTIAL

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 701

OF 1708UOZ FEBRUARY 88

нит

HULD 373/1

PERSONAL

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR HUM HKD FROM GOVERNOR

MY TELNO 32 : MR JUSTICE BARKER

YOU WILL WISH TO KNOW THAT, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT YET IN A POSITION TO REVERT TO YOU WITH A CONCLUSION, THIS DIFFICULT PROBLEM IS FAR FROM FORGOTTEN. I HAVE HAD A SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS ON IT WITH THE CHIEF JUSTICE, THE CHIEF JUSTICE DESIGNATE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. ALLEGATIONS MADE TO ICAC WHICH IT HAS PROVED IMPOSSIBLE TO SUBSTANTIATE, TEMPORARILY PRODUCED AN ADDITIONAL

COMPLICATING FACTOR.

2. THE PRESENT POSITION IS THAT I HAVE CONFLICTING ADVICE FROM THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND CHIEF JUSTICE DESIGNATE. THIS IS NOT A

SATISFACTORY SITUATION. NOR AM I FULLY SATISIFIED WITH THE

THOROUGHNESS OF THE ADVICE GIVEN BY EITHER PARTY.

3. I SHALL BE REFLECTING FURTHER ON THIS WHOLE PROBLEM DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD. THIS TELEGRAM IS IMPLY TO ASSURE YOU THAT, DESPITE A NUMBER OF OTHER PREOCCUPATIONS, THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT

BEEN LOST TO SIGHT.

WILSON

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

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MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

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