Ombudsman'
the innumerable representations
that have been made to me since my arrival
representations about setting up an ombudsman have
been noticeably few. It is a hobby-horse of one
or two vocal westernised people only. I am still
genuinely in doubt as to whether there is any
need for such an office.
If asked to state his position I
suggest the Secretary of State should say it is
not the name but the principle and practice that
matter: Persons with a sense of grievance
should have a variety of channels of complaint
open to them that circumvent the official against
whom the complaint lies and that, when necessary,
go to the top Several such channels already
exist in Hong Kong and are widely used more
widely in fact than the Parliamentary Commissioner
office in London And in addition there is the
right of petition to the Governor personally which
is also widely used. The Secretary of State is
content to leave it to the Hong Kong Government
Witself to consider whether existing channels need
supplementing, and if so by what.
If pressed the Secretary of State
might say that it is necessary to consider what is
best for Hong Kong in the circumstances of Hong Kong,