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- IN
R GESTRY No.51
ZONAI 1974
PICK 14/4
CONFIDENTIAL
Sir Dunean Watson
Thank you.
The usual
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H.K. Guiling! ww
Ph Stright
STAFF FOR THE ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION, HONG KONG
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1. Crouton ∙Digwidly
PA
28/5
1. Before we received Hong Kong telegram no. 533 I went to see Commander Anning to talk about his visit to Hong Kong. He has written a report which he has handed to the Hong Kong Government. I asked if we could have a copy. He agreed, but for the sake of propriety will have to send it through the Commissioner and the Home Office.
2. His general conclusion is that the Anti-Corruption Commission are handling things on the right lines. But, as we feared, Mr Prendergast and Mr Cater do not work easily in harness and there is a general shortage of efficient and trustworthy officers for case work.
3. Commander Anning has some criticisms of the proposed staffing structure of the Commission's Directorate of Operations. For example, he does not agree with the decision to divide the section dealing with possible prosecutions from that which will consider disciplinary action. But whether his recommendations on this point are accepted or not, he does not at present see any need for a senior UK policeman to fill any of the top jobs. This is contrary to the assumptions on which we arranged for Commander Anning's visit. But apparently the Governor agrees with him.
4. His other recommendation on staffing was that a number of UK policemen of middle-rank should be recruited for case work. me at the time that he thought the Governor did not agree with this
He told but it seems from Hong Kong telegram no. 533 that this is not the case. When telegram no. 533 arrived I spoke to Commander Anning again and have since written to the Home Office and Sir Robert Mark asking for their help (my letter to Mr Platt of 14 May).
5. I too am rather concerned that we may be asking too much of Sir Robert Mark. There is an additional reason for this. attached letter of 7 May to Sir Arthur Peterson from Mr Scott, the
The Secretary for the Civil Service in Hong Kong, concerns the search for a new Director of Criminal Investigation in the Hong Kong police. This letter was the first we had heard of the matter. having asked Sir Robert Mark for a nomination, Hong Kong are now telling
It is clear that the Home Office that they do not want the person he has proposed and would like someone better. The last time Sir Robert Mark suggested someone for the Anti-Corruption Commission, the proposal was also turned down by Mr Slevin and Mr Prendergast after an interview in the UK. I then had some difficulty in smoothing down Sir Robert Mark, in convincing him that the Anti-Corruption Commission would not be under the thumb of the regular police and in persuading him to allow Commander Anning to visit Hong Kong. The decision to reject Chief Superintendent Howell may be right but it could have been conveyed
/more tactfully,
CONFIDENTIAL