XN000022-1978-01-27 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1978

GIVE CONFIDENCE TO THE POLICE GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE

SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THIS EVENING CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO HELP THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND HIS OFFICERS AND MEN IN THEIR TASK BY SHOWING CONFIDENCE IN A FORCE WHICH, AS A WHOLE, IS SURELY DESERVING OF MUCH MORE PRAISE THAN CRITICISM.+

+THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND I AM SURE THAT IT IS THE WISH OF THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF ITS MEMBERSHIP TO TAKE THE ONE STEP MORE WHICH WILL COMPLETELY RE-ESTABLISH ITS STANDING IN THE EYES OF THE COMMUNITY, + SIR MURRAY SAID AT THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ANNUAL DINNER AT THE FURAMA HOTEL.

HE SAID THAT THE TRAUMA OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS SHOULD NOT OBSCURE THE SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES THAT THE FORCE IS ACHIEVING AND HAS ACHIEVED.

+FURTHERMORE, THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE FORCE WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND ITS AWARENESS OF THE NEED FOR THE CLOSEST CO-OPERATION WITH THOSE WHOM IT IS THE IR DUTY TO PROTECT, HAS GREATLY IMPROVED,+ HE SAID.

BUT, HE ADDED, HE WOULD NOT HAVE CALLED IN A VERY SENIOR TEAM OF UK OFFICERS IF HE THOUGHT THAT ALL WAS WELL.

+OBVIOUSLY THE LAW MUST BE ENFORCED WHETHER BY POLICE OR ON POLICE OR ON ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

+ IF THERE ARE SOME SO FOOLISH AS TO THINK THAT IN MODERN HONG KONG IT COULD BE OTHERWISE, THEY SHOULD COME TO THEIR SENSES- THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE,+ SIR MURRAY STRESSED.

HE BELIEVED THAT IN THE FORCE AS A WHOLE, ATTITUDES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY SOME GENUINE GRIEVANCES AND BY A SENSE OF ILL-USAGE, AS WELL AS BY MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AND THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY WEAKNESSES IN COMMUNICATION AND CHAIN OF COMMAND AND OTHER FACTORS RESULTING FROM VERY RAPID EXPANSION.

+ VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM TEAM WITH LOCAL HELP AND ACTION WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST IN PUTTING ALL THIS TO RIGHT.

+1 ALSO BELIEVE THAT A POLICE ASSOCIATION COULD PLAY A VERY USEFUL ROLE, PROVIDED IT IS PROPERLY MOTIVATED AND RESPONSIBLY LED,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.

EARLIER, SIR MURRAY SPOKE ABOUT HONG KONG'S TRADING PROSPECTS.

HE URGED THAT WE MUST NOW GET ON WITH MAKING THE BEST OF THE (TEXTILES) AGREEMENTS WHICH WE HAVE SIGNED WITH OUR TRADING PARTNERS AND ALSO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO IMPRESS ON OFFICIALS AND EXPORTERS AS WELL AS THE MEDIA AND PUBLIC IN EUROPE AND AMERICA WHAT HONG KONG HAS TO OFFER AS A PLACE OF BUSINESS.

/SIR MURRAY SAID