CONFIDENTIAL
accretion of financial resources beyond levels considered reasonable having regard to his official emoluments.
In his
40 The Department has no knowledge of the measures which will be provided for in the legislation referred to at (b), but it is understood that it follows recommendations made by the Attorney General, Hong Kong, as a result of a visit by Legal and Police Officers paid to Ceylon and Singapore in November, 1968. Address to the Legislative Council the Governor said, when commenting on the draft anti-bribery Bill now being studied in Hong Kong, that "some of its provisions may arouse criticism and if this criticism is well founded we shall, as always, take notice of it; but additional powers we must have if, as I am sure is the case, the public want better protection from corrupt practices". What we know the draconian measures taken in Singapore suggests that, if they are closely followed by Hong Kong, we may find it difficult to accept them here.
5.
In the view' of the Department, legislative measures to
but at the same combat corrupt practices are to be welcomed; time it would be unfortunate if those measures were so severe as to give rise to wholesale criticisms on a scale comparable, for example, with those levelled by "Justice" at the Public Order
Ordinance.
6. It is not suggested that the Minister should take the initiative in raising this matter with the Governor, but should the latter mention the subject of the proposed amendments to anti-bribery legislation it would be helpful if the Minis ter were to indicate that while, he fully endorsed proposals to tighten up sugh legislation, he hoped that the measures it contained would not be too draconian, particularly as regards provisions relating to the burden of proof; and were to suggest that there might be advantage in referring the draft legislation to this Office in the first instance.
Hong Kong Department
21 May, 1969
CONFIDENTIAL
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