Telephone: London 940 9214
20 Bishops Close Ham Common
Richmond Surrey
7 January 1974
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Mr Anthony Royle MP
House of Commons
Westminster
London SW1A OAA
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Dear Mr Royle
Further to my letter of 7th December and the acknowledgement card from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, may I ask if the British Government has now found itself able to answer the question in paragraph five of my letter and which was raised with you some seven months ago?
Regarding Godber, may I draw your attention to page 44 of the OBSERVER colour magazine of 2nd December last. In an article on 'Politicians, Parliament and Corruption' by Montgomery Hyde reference is made to an Act of Parliament of 1793 which resulted from the trial of Warren Hastings and was apparently designed to deal with similar nabobs. The relevant paragraph reads:-
"The trial of Warren Hastings on charges of corruption and extortion, which began in 1788 and continued intermittently for the next seven years, provided a valuable lesson to all proconsuls against accepting bribes, and led Parliament in 1793 to enact legislation providing that 'the demanding or receiving any sum of money or other valuable thing as a gift or present by any British subject holding any office under His Majesty in the East Indies shall be deemed and
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taken to be extortion and a misdemeanour at common law'."
Historically, Hongkong can be regarded as being a part of the East Indies and I wonder, if the Act of 1793 has not been repealed or specifically overtaken, whether Godber might not be given a chance to explain himself in the UK? I would appreciate knowing the feelings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding this Act and possibility.
Yours sincerely
Си
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ALAN ELLIS
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