Bank
Date
Amount
1. Bank of Nova Scotia, Ontario
2.
Hongkong Bank, California
22.3.73
17.5.73
Can$206,492.23
US$233,944.06
3. ANZ Bank
18.5.73
Aust$181,090.13
4.
H.K. & S. Bank, Singapore
21.5.73
S$119,410.30
5.
H.K. & S. Bank, Kowloon
15.5.73
6.
Barclay's Bank, Rye, England
5.6.73
HK$328,499.44
£ 19,906.67
7.
Bank of America, Kowloon
23.3.73
HK$ 17,314.15
Conversion of the above amounts to Hong Kong dollars
1.
@ Can$1
HK$ 5.06
2.
(@)
US$1
=
HK$ 5.065
3.
@ Aust$1
HK$ 7.10
4.
6.
a
S$1
£1
HK$ 2.02
HK$13.80
HK$1,044,850.50
HK$1,184,923.60
HK$1,285,739.90
HK$ 241,208.80 HK$ 274,712.04
Grand Total, including items 5 and 7, HK$4,377,248.43
i.e. nearly six times his total net salary for the period 10th August 1952 to 31st May 1973. The officers conducting the raid on GODBER's quarters found no evidence of any kind which suggested that GODBER's wealth might have been acquired through inheritance or luck.
It is also known that GODBER Owns a house in England. Inquiries were made of a firm of solicitors in London; but they are unable to say when this house was purchased and for what consideration.
The investigation into the disappearance of the Godbers
The first information that the GODBERS were no longer in their quarters was received by the police at 1.15 p.m. on Saturday 9th June. A certain Mrs. GIBBS, the wife of a Government servant, who lives in the flat above the GODBERS in Caldecott Road, informed a Superintendent WILLIAMSON that the GODBERS' amah (who was a relative of Mrs. GIBBS' amah) had been unable to gain admittance to the GODBERS' flat that morning, and that she (Mrs. GIBBS) had heard a rumour that Mrs. GODBER had left the Colony. Mr. WILLIAMSON telephoned to Mr. HENRY, who was then in the Gazetted Officers Mess at Police Headquarters, and conveyed this information to him. Messrs. DAWSON, HENRY, and MCNUTT proceeded immediately to Police Headquarters Kowloon. Mr. DAWSON telephoned the GODBERS' flat and received no reply. At 2.10 p.m. Mr. DAWSON gave instructions that a check on departing passengers from Kai Tak be made at once.
Upon their arrival at Caldecott Road, Messrs. DAWSON, HENRY and MCNUTT were informed by a Mrs. GARDINER (another resident of the flats known to Mrs. GIBBS) that she (Mrs. GARDINER) had been seeing a friend off at Kai Tak on Thursday, 7th June and that she was surprised to see Mrs. GODBER near the departure area as if about to leave Hong Kong. Mrs. GARDINER told the 3 officers that she was aware of rumours that GODBER was the subject of an inquiry by the Anti-Corruption Office. Mrs. GARDINER also informed the 3 officers that Mrs. GODBER was accompanied by a European lady who had kissed Mrs. GODBER farewell before she passed through the Im- migration Control Desks between 2.30 and 3 p.m. on Thursday, 7th June.
At about 5 p.m. on 9th June the police located GODBER's car on the roof area of the Ocean Terminal Car Park. Instructions were given for a watch to be kept on the car and that GODBER should be kept under surveillance if he attempted to drive it away.
On Sunday 10th June, vigorous inquiries were made in an endeavour to locate GODBER. Mr. MCNUTT con- tacted Mr. GUNSTON who was unable to assist the police as to GODBER's whereabouts except this: That he had expected to be consulted by GODBER on Friday, but that he had not been contacted by his client. Mr. MCNUTT said to Mr. GUNSTON that there were 2 possibilities (1) that GODBER had left the Colony and (2) that he was ill. Mr. GUNSTON informed Mr. McNUTT that of the 2 possibilities, it was more likely that GODBER had left the Colony.
Mr. MCNUTT then searched Mr. GODBER'S car. Under the driver's seat he found the ignition key and a ticket issued when parking the car which indicated that GODBER had done so at 11.27 a.m. on Friday 8th June.
Checks on airline manifests and at shipping companies continued throughout Sunday 10th June; but police inquiries were hampered to some extent because, being a Sunday, many of the staff were absent and documents
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