}
t
Our Ref: 17/2200
Mr. Keith Whetstone,
Editor,
Birmingham Evening Mail,
P.O. Box 78,
28 Colmore Circus,
Queensway,
Birmingham B4 6AY
Dear Mr. Whetstone,
2nd December, 1981
Your Assistante Editor, Features, Mr. Clem Lewis, has written to us to say that it has been decided not to publish the letter from Mr. P.B. Williams, Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong, which was sent to you on 20 November, 1981.
Mr. Williams' letter was intended to balance the impression given in the article that corruption permeated all levels of the Hong Kong Police Force in Hong Kong and, in particular, to set in context the statements such as appeared in the fifth paragraph that the police themselves never undertook any investigation of corruption.
As the most senior official in Hong Kong dealing with the problem of corruption, Mr. Williams wrote because he felt it was important to place Mr. Lenehan's remarks in context. We believe that the letter does this without calling into question the integrity of Mr. Lenehan, Miss Selby or your newspaper.
We were somewhat surprised, therefore, to hear from Mr. Lewis that the newspapor felt it was not necessary to publish Mr. Williams' letter.
' letter. I am certain that if you compare Mr. Williams' comments with those paragraphs under- lined in the enclosed copy of the article you will feel it reasonable for us to ask you to reconsider this decision and give Mr. Williams the opportunity to comment on the article.
CAC
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