PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL
Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1
Sir Robert Mark QPM
Commissioner of Metropolitan Police
New Scotland Yard
London
SW1H OBG
:
I
Telephone 01-
930 8440 In MA615
Your reference
85
Our reference
Date
4 September 1974
Cy
REF.
NEXT
ay
You may like to see the attached copy of a telegram from Hong Kong setting out what they know of Mr Howell's position prior to the arrival of Commander Morrison,
2. It all seems most baffling. It is hard to believe that he could have reached his àleged conclusion about a coming crisis in Hong Kong on the basis of a weekend in the Colony. There might be something more in the suggestion that he did not feel up to the job.
But one would not expect such instant acceptance of failure from an experience l police officer. From the political point of view it would obviously be very damaging to have the new Director of Hong Kong's CID resigning as soon as he arrived, particularly as his appointment received some publicity. All sorts of interpretations, all of them undesirable, would be put upon his action. However we must just see what Commander Morrison can do. May I associate myself with the Governor's thanks for responding so quickly in this way?
Encl 1
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
silent copies: Overseas Police Adviser
Mr Male
PERSONAL CONFIDENTIAL
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