NOTHING TO BE Written in this maRGIN
CONFIDENTIAL
Kong Government were anxious to have a anti-corruption
bill with teeth. What form did corruption take?
Mr. Sutcliffe said that officials were paid for not
doing their job energetically. For instance Labour
Inspectors were bribed not to visit a factory during
what should be a rest period, and similar things
happened with the police. They would obey orders and
clear up trouble if asked but the local people knew
that they could not keep up pressure, for instance on
gambling, for long periods.
15. Mr. Stewart said that officials in London had not
yet given him advice about the corruption bill but the
clauses about officials declaring assets created
difficulties.
Was he right in thinking that this was
an essential part of the bill? Sir David Trench said
that it was. Corruption would never be completely
eradicated but this bill was an important step.
already had had a deterrent effect.
**
It
Mr. Wellbeloved
asked about the maximum penalties for having undisclosed
sources of wealth and whether the courts would impose
world be
them. Mr. Roberts pointed out that the burden of proof
s/on the official to explain how he got his money.
WELS
There was a safeguard in that he had a change to give
an explanation privately to the Attorney-General first.
Hong Kong realized that this was an exceptional bill,
but their case was exceptional and had no parallel in
Britain. He said When asked by Sir Denis Greenhill
he said,
1
who informed against offenders, that it could be anyone,
including an anonymous informer.
To be effective would have to have,
the new law would mean that the police/had increased
NP.16
It
In one sense
powers to investigate peoples' private affairs.
Severally
in the proposed legislation was agreed that there were difficulties
the more successfully one controlled bribery, the higher
bribes 'became.
Courts might be reluctant to convict,
but for officials the main sanction was dismissal.
/17.