15.
6 -
360
Mr. Eric Blackburn, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police and Director of Personnel and Training will state that he was absent from Hong Kong from 24.10.78 to 3.11.78 and therefore had no say in the decision to terminate the services of the deceased. On 24.11.78, the deceased submitted an appeal against the termination of his services which was referred to Mr. Blackburn for consideration. On reviewing the facts he concluded that the grounds for terminating MacLennan's service were tenuous and he made his views known to Mr. Purdon, the Deputy Commissioner (Administration).
16.
On 29,11,78 he visited the Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service Mr. J. Hunter and discussed with him the grounds for terminating the deceased's service and subsequent appeal. He also advised Mr. Hunter that in addition to the formal appeal, the deceased had the support of Judge Daniell, who had in turn contacted Mrs. Elsie Elliott. Arising from this discussion it was decided that MacLennan should be reinstated to duty forthwith. Mr. Blackburn interviewed the deceased later that day and informed him that his appeal was under active consideration. He will further state that on 30.11.78 a letter was received from the Secretary for the Civil Service formally conveying the decision to reinstate the deceased and that on 1.12.78 he further interviewed the deceased and handed him the letter from the Secretary for the Civil Service. He further informed the deceased that he would be transferred to Kowloon City with effect from 4.12.78 and would reside at Homantin Hill Government Service Flats. He then advised the deceased that he should carefully weigh in the balance the possible effect of recent events on his career prospects and decide whether or not he was well suited for a Police career in Hong Kong. He emphasized that much would depend on his immediate duty performance and his ability to clearly demonstrate that recent experiences had not adversely affected his outlook.
17.
Mr. John Martin Rowlands, Secretary for the Civil Service will state that a remark made to Mr. Mansell by the deceased in Minute (18) in file CF/UI 26330 stating that he, Martin Rowlands, had said to the deceased that he should be told the reason for his termination, is not true. He will further state that to the best of his recollection he never met, spoke with or wrote to the deceased. He will further state that a record of the deceased's termination and reinstatement has been kept in file CSBCR L/M (D) 146/78. He will state that Senior Magistrate Daniell telephoned him on or about 22nd November 1978 expressing concern at the manner in which the case of the deceased had been handled. Mr. Rowlands undertook to look into it himself and having studied all the papers made available to him he had doubts as to whether it had been fair to terminate the services of the deceased at that point in time bearing in mind that his contract was due to expire anyway in September 1980.
CONFIDENTIAL
/18.
Mr.