SPECIAL CARE
17 JUL 1967
X
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INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (0.A.0.)
07791
Cypher
D. 16th July, 1967
R. 16th
0130%
FLASH
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No. 1046
(8)
Following for Carter. Begins.
Your telegram 1455.
I told Tyrer that I had lost all confidence in his ability to provide the drive and leadership that was required of the Commissioner in the current critical situation. I told him this was also the considered opinion of C.B.F., Holmes and the Political Adviser and that I believed it to be the opinion of all the other (more Junior) officers who attend my regular policy conferences and many of his police officers, although naturally I had not discussed the matter with any of them. I told him that in the prosent situation public confidence depended on Government acting positively to keep the initiative and that the circumstances were such that I had to rely very largely on the police force to provide that initiative but regrettably it was no longer forth- coming. (He countered this by saying that he under- stood the policy was no escalation of any ind. policy conferences have been largely concerned with trying to find means of regaining the initiative by positive action and his own Special Branch have continually been presenting him with targets, I find this hardly credible. Certainly no one else was under such an illusion).
As my
2. I instanced the following as some of the reasons for my loss of confidence in his leadership of the force:-
(1) His obsession about the low, or at least doubtful, morale of the Chinese rank and file. Admittedly the charging of three Chinese police with the murder of a prisoner in a cell came at a most unfortunate time (and gives very great concern to my Chinese unofficials in Executive Council) but I told Tyrer that I thought he exaggerated the effect and that I was not satisfied he had done all he could to combat it. I referred to his letter to all ranks on the distinction between the use of force in an affray and in a cell, which I understood had been weak. (Although I had to admit I had not seen it, Tyrer has more than once said he does not think any distinction is valid in Chinese eyes).
(2) His reluctance to commit his forces to firm action. I pointed out he had only agreed under heavy pressure to mount the raids on two union premises on 12th July with six police companies and then only after I had agreed to a
/ curfew,
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