CONFIDENTIAL
he may leave the country in which case the amendment will
increase our embarrassment - and in principle it is not
usually desirable to change the law because of one unfortunate
case that might never recur.
SPEAKING NOTES
9.
Ireland.
Mr Royle may wish to ask the Governor:
(1)
Whether in his view there is any chance of the
Hong Kong Police producing other evidence which
could secure the return of Mr Godber; would the
attachment of some experienced Scotland Yard
fraud squad officers be likely to assist in
procurement of evidence;
(2) If not, whether he would see any advantage in
modifying the Act of 1967 if Mr Godber managed
to leave the UK before the change took effect.
(3) When he hopes to announce the new arrangements
which he has in mind for dealing with corruption
in Hong Kong (both Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr and
Mr Prendergast would have roles to play). This
should do much to reduce the pressure for an
external Commission of Enquiry.
!
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
7 September 1973
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