XN000022-1973-10-17 — Page 74

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Wednesday, October 17, 1973

We know that Hong Kong is not alone in the world in facing a

problem of corruption. We know of many cities and countries much worse

and many no better in Europe, America, and Asia, and which have not known

the pressures under which we here have existed. I wonder what the result

would be if many governments whether national or municipal, opened their

most confidential files to impartial and expert scrutiny and published

the results? We have done this, because we realise that there is only

one way to stop people calling Hong Kong corrupt, and that is to eradicate

corruption from our society. This we are determined to do.

Fugitive Offenders Act

The Godber affair has highlighted the case for amendment of the

Fugitive Offenders Act, as recommended by Sir Alastair Hair-Kerr. The

requirement of double criminality is hard to understand in the case of

a dependent territory, such as Hong Kong. We feel sure it was not

H.M.G.' intention in the Fugitive Offenders Act to frustrate the intention

of laws approved by H.M.G. in Hong Kong.

I have represented to the Secretary of State the strong feelings

on this subject here. This, of course, is not the only way to bring

back: Godber for trial, It remains only for one man to come forward and

give conclusive evidence of a corrupt transaction.

/Narcotics