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Mr Murray
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts NSID
HONG KONG: MP'S LETTER, MR EAZON GRIFFITHS
1.
HKK 382/2
RECEIVED IN REG.STLY NO. 51
18 DEC1073
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Action Taken
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Mr Eldon Griffiths MP (Conservative 'Bury St Edmunds) wrote to the Secretary of State on 6 December enclosing a letter from four former Hong Kong police officers currently in this country. The four claim to represent 97 former members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force who were compulsorily retired under Colonial Regulation 55 earlier this year.
2.
You will recall that this group formed part of a larger group of 180 police officers who were suspected of involvement in organised corruption at the Yaumatei Police Station. Because of the need to rid the public service of corrupt officers, the length of time which it would take to bring criminal proceedings to a conclusion, and the difficulty of obtaining convictions in corruption cases, the Governor recommended that the majority should be dealt with under Colonial Regulations (CR).
3. For reasons given in my predecessor's submission of 1 February, it was decided to use CR 55, which reads "An officer holds office subject to the pleasure of the Crown, and the pleasure of the Crown that he should no long hold it may be signified through the Secretary of State in which case no special formalities are required". The Governor was informed (FCO telegram No 99 to Hong Kong) that the Secretary of State would view sympathetically any request for compulsory retirement under CR 55 in cases where it would be undesirable for the grounds of retirement to be put to
the officers concerned.
4. The Governor submitted files on 149 officers. Each individual case was carefully scrutinised by my predecessor and another member of the department together with the departmental Legal Adviser. On the Secretary of State's instructions, a random sample of files was submitted to Mr Luard, who was satisfied with the procedure used and endorsed the decisions reached (Miss Evans minute of 23 March). As a result of this scrutiny approval was given for the compulsory retirement of 142 officers. In the event, the Governor decided to use this authority in respect of 119 officers only; the remainder were put on trial.
5.
The four former officers claim that their "petition" was
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