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SOUTH AUGUST 4th 73.
CHINA MORNING POST
Vard should wrobe Godber case, say
By KEVIN SINCLAIR
The public has lost a great deal of confidence in the police over the Gouber affair, and this loss of confidence must be restored, a visiting Member of Parliament said yesterday.
But Mr Tom Pendry stressed he was making no complaint against the police.
At a press conference the Parliamentarians, Mr Pendry and Mr J.A. Cunningham, said they had made two suggestions about the care to senior Government cfficials:
That Scotland Yard detectives should investigate the Goliber case. This would not present insurmountable” difficulties, Mir Pendry said. This suggestion had been well-
received by Hongkong officials to whom he had mentioned it the the MPs would pursue the mater when they return to Britain.
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That Hongdong should be considered in no less favourable
way than Eire in extradition maters Britain and Eire had an arrangement whereby person could se extradited Fa migistrate lested a warrant and Hongkong-
uraditions should trelled in the same way, they indicated.
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be
"I hope Co. wwo suggestions will be acted upon," Mr Penny said.
The Lagarto : about Scotland Yard brought a swift reaction from Government sources. A Spokesman "wocomed" me suggestions and
said Hongkong knew it could always rely on the fullest possible help from the Yard.
But Hongkong had no intention of making a request for assistance "at the moment."
It is known that the Commissioner of Police. Mr Charles Sutcliffe, is strongly against any outside investigators. He feels the present Anti- Corruption Branch is best equipped to handle
the case.
Police and Government sources are known to feel that British detectives coming to Hongkong would be hampered because of their lack of local knowledge and language barriers.
They also point out that Scotland Yard has not had a notable degree of success investigating serious cases in other colonies and
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say MPs
cite the lack of any arrest in the Yard-directed manhunt for the murderer of the Governor of Bermuda and the failure to solve the Seychelles bombing atrocities.
The MPs said they recognised feelings on the Godber issue were running high in Hongkong.
They had tried to recognise the frustrations and problems surrounding the case.
And, they stressed, they believed Godser should be brought back to Hongkong.
Speed was of the essence, Mr Pendry said. Mr Pendry said he was convinced that the
at people they had met the top of the Government were anxious 10
see Godber returned to Hongkong.
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