WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1976
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MINOR TRAFFIC OFFENCES INVOLVING CONSULAR OFFICERS
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, TODAY APOLOGISED ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT TO THE CONSULAR CORPS IN HONG KONG OVER CERTAIN INACCURACIES IN THE NUMBER OF ALLEGED MINOR TRAFFIC OFFENCES INVOLVING CONSULAR OFFICERS AND OFFICERS OF COMMISSIONS.
IN A STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. HOBLEY RECALLED HE ANSWERED A QUESTION LAST MONTH ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH PROCEEDINGS WERE NOT BROUGHT AGAINST THESE OFFICERS FOR THE ALLEGED OFFENCES.
PRIOR TO ANSWERING THAT QUESTION, HE TABLED A DETAILED LIST OF THE CASES AND THOSE INVOLVED.
+UNFORTUNATELY THE LIST WAS SERIOUSLY INACCURATE IN A NUMBER OF CASES AND WAS INACCURATE IN OTHERS.
+ALTHOUGH THE COLONIAL SECRETARY HAD ALREADY WRITTEN TO THE DOYEN OF THE CONSULAR CORPS EXPRESSING THE GOVERNMENT'S DEEP REGRET, IT IS RIGHT THAT I SHOULD BRING THE MATTER BEFORE THE COUNCIL AGAIN AND AT THE SAME TIME SAY PUBLICLY HOW MUCH THE GOVERNMENT REGRETS THE ANNOYANCE AND EMBARRASSMENT WHICH THE INACCURATE INFORMATION HAS NATURALLY CAUSED MEMBERS OF THE CORPS,+ HE SAID.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ADDED THAT A CORRECT LIST HAD BEEN LAID ON THE TABLE TODAY AND ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE TO ENSURE ITS WIDE DISTRIBUTION.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE ERROR AROSE FROM A COMBINATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT IT WILL NOT BE REPEATED.+
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