380/2
HKK 380 BECAYED IN REGISTRY RO. 5
PS/Lord Goronwy-Robert 25 SEP 1978
Mr Murray
2
PS
DESK OFFICER
VINDEX
*
REGIO TRY Action Taken
Indi Ks
HONG KONG : LIBEL WRIT AGAINST FÜRI
DOCTOR DAVID OWEN
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1. On 14 August, the Treasury Solicitors accepted a writ of libel against the Secretary of State and Lord Goronwy-Roberts 67 issued by Mr Thomas F M Tung.
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2.
Mr Tung, who now lives in the United States, has made repeated complaints to the Hong Kong Government and to Ministers and offic- ials in this country, alleging that he was wrongly accused (or convicted - Mr Tung is not very clear on this point) of evading a 20 cent bus fare in Hong Kong 18 years ago. His complaints have been exhaustively investigated but there is no record that any charge has ever been brought against him in Hong Kong. He has certainly never been convicted. All this has been explained to Mr Tung on a number of occasions. His most recent complaint was made through Mr Christopher Price MP (Labour Lewisham West) at the beginning of this year. Lord Goronwy-Roberts wrote to Mr Price explaining the background and emphasising that Mr Tung's name and reputation remain unblemished in Hong Kong.
3. Mr Tung, who clearly suffers from a persecution complex over this matter, took offence at the Minister of State's letter and, when he was in this country in August, took out the writ for libel against Lord Goronwy-Roberts and the Secretary of State. He tried
to serve this in person on 14 August. When he was not allowed to do this, he took the writ to the Treasury Solicitor's Office instead. After discussing the case with the FCO Legal Advisers the Treasury Solicitor's Department agreed to accept Mr Tung's writ.
4. If Lord Goronwy-Roberts and Dr Owen so wish the Treasury Solicitor is willing to act on their behalf. The Department's Legal Adviser recommends that this would be the most appropriate way for the case to be handled.
15.