XN000022-1977-10-12 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1977

CHIEF SECRETARY EXPLAINS GODBER'S DEPARTURE

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THE GOVERNMENT'S ONLY AIM TO ARRANGE FOR GODBER'S EARLY ENTRY INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA AT KAI TAK AND TO ALLOW HIM AND HIS SON TO WAIT IN AN UNUSED GOVERNMENT OFFICE UNTIL HIS DEPARTURE WAS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF DISTURBANCE AND INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC, THE HON. CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, SIR DENYS SAID THE GOVERNMENT, CORRECTLY ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN GODBER'S DEPARTURE.

+ IF HE HAD ARRIVED AT KAI TAK IN THE NORMAL WAY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF PRESSMEN AND INTERESTED SPECTATORS WITH THE OBVIOUS RISK WHICH THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED IN A CROWDED CONCOURSE,+ HE SAID.

SIR DENYS NOTED THAT GODBER, THROUGH HIS SOLICITOR, HAD MADE IT CLEAR, BEFORE HIS RELEASE, THAT HE DID NOT WISH TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS WHEN HE LEFT PRISON.

HOWEVER, ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE AT SIU LAM FOR THE PRESS TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS RELEASE AND BARRIERS WERE PROVIDED THERE TO TRY TO FACILITATE AN ORDERLY COVERAGE OF THE EVENT.

THE CAR USED BY GODBER TO TRAVEL FROM SIU LAM TO KAI TAK WAS PROVIDED AT HIS REQUEST BY HIS SOLICITOR AND A POLICE CAR FOLLOWED TO ENSURE THAT NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED EN ROUTE.

SIR DENYS SAID: TRAFFIC POLICE WERE ALERTED TO ENSURE THAT HIS CAR AND THOSE EXPECTED TO BE FOLLOWING IT DID NOT CAUSE TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

+THE UNRULY SCENES WHICH ATTENDED GODBER'S JOURNEY FROM SIU LAM TO KAI TAK SURELY JUSTIFIED THE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN,+ HE ADDED.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM DR. CHUNG, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY SAID THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO PURSUE WITH VIGOUR ITS CLAIM AGAINST GODBER, BUT IT WOULD BE GENERALLY WRONG IN PRINCIPLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO AVAIL ITSELF TO THE REMEDY OF IMPRISONMENT FOR NON-PAYMENT OF A JUDGMENT DEBT.

MR. HOBLEY WAS CONVINCED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN TO MORE SEVERE CRITICISM IF IT HAD IN FACT IMPRISONED GODBER FOR DEBT.

ON THE LEGAL ASPECT OF THE MATTER, HE SAID: IMPRISONING GODBER WOULD NOT, IN MY OPINION, HAVE BROUGHT RECOVERY OF THE MONEY ANY NEARER, AND MIGHT WELL HAVE HINDERED PROCEEDINGS OUTSIDE HONG KONG FOR ITS RECOVERY.+

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