TNAG-0405-FCO40-451-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 150

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In 1965 my representations to your Office about maladministration, suppression of evidence and corruption led to a second inquiry, ordered by then Governor Sir David Trench. It was conducted by the police and the Government was offered my assistance. The complainant and principal witness, myself, the source from which any genuine inquiry would have to proceed, was not invited to support his allegations and there were, therefore, no leads to be followed up.

Of these "inquiries" Socialist Colonial Secretary Mr Frederick Lee wrote in 1966 to Patrick Jenkin: "I am satisfied that the procedures followed and the conclusions reached were correct ...". The Home Government has

consistently appeared to accept that these two "inquiries" were "full", when it is patently obvious that they were not and that because they were not the wrong conclusions were reached. If statements under consideration in any inquiry are incomplete, either by their non-existence or by suppression of those parts supporting the truth, and where such a file is considered by a mind that is not impartial, then it is obvious that the wrong conclusions are likely to be drawn.

The techniques employed by

then an Assistant Commissioner and now the chief detective, are followed in other cases and it must be considered that juniors follow the example of their superiors. The question must be asked as to the full extent and the consequences of this type of procedure.

It is because I know that evidence is suppressed in these ways by the Hongkong Government in the conduct of inquiries into itself that I was distressed to leam of your parliamentary reply to Mr James Johnson's call to Sir Alec Douglas-Home to appoint an inquiry into corruption, last Thursday.

It is not disputed that the Hongkong Government is aware of the problem. It is disputed that the Anti-Corruption Branch, controlled by the Police Force, is "tadling it vigorously". The Branch was established in 1948: a quarter-century later, people from widely different backgrounds, individually and collectively are still crying out about graft and on a substantial scale. I can recall over the past decade six attempts by people with ground-level experience of Hongkong to obtain British Government intervention from London:-

..OVER/

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