HONG KONG STANDARD
AUGUST THE 73
Labour MPs say Govt is giving move the 'fullest consideration'
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THE YARD MAY PROBE GODBER CASE
THE Government may ask Scotland Yard to take over investigation of the Godber case, two visiting Labour Members of Parliament revealed yesterday.
Mr Thomas Pendry and Mr John Cunningham told a news conference before their departure that "the very top administrators" in the Colony are giving the "fullest consideration" to the possibility of asking the Yard to probe, 1 the circumstances surrounding the corruption suspect's flight from the Colony and his activities here because of the “obvious but, we hope, temporary” public lack of confidence in the Hongkong põlle forte.
Mr Pendry said the MPs had suggested the move to the men "at the top" and that their proposal had been "very well received." In fact, he said he gained the impression that thought had already been given to taking such a step.
A Scotland Yard special investigation force could be brought into the case without "too many difficulties and certainly not insurmontable- diisiculties," he said. Mr Pendry said the M Would certainly punue the matter "with great force" at the London end.
The suggestion, he said, had been one of two "positive proposuus" pul to adramustrators concerning the case of the former chief superintendent.
The other dealt with the Hongkong Government's inability to-date to have Godber extradited from Britain.
The MP said he felt the Colony should have a similar extradition arrangement with Britain as exists between the UK and the Republic of Ireland where a magistrate's warrant issued in either country and matched in the other is all that is needed to have a suspect returned.
News of the Government's consideration of Scotland Yard involvement in the corruption case follows the disclosure on Thursday that Governor Sir Murray MacLehose will have
unofficial talks with British officials on the Godber affair during his home leave this month.
Mr Cunningham said he will be making reports, in writing, one to the Hongkong authority and one to the British-Hongkong Parliamentary Minister as well as to Labour Party members.
Regarding the possibility that Godber might leave Britain the MPs said there was no way at present for police to stop him.
They urged that Godber should be returned to Hongkong as quickly as possible and that the Government is anxious to do just that.
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Commenting investigation of corruption in general in Hongkong, Mr Pendry said that the Godber case should be resolved before a more widespread investigation is attempted to satisfy public feelings over the affair.
On other issues, the parliamentarians
strongly criticised the Government for failure to create Я climate where the people could be heard.
They also felt that not enough is being done to foster the development of trade unionism.
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The visitors said they made specific request to see representatives of left-wing trade unions but were turned down because of some "special problems."
Referring to quashing of the death penalty on Tsoi Kwok-cheong, Mr Cunningham said he is opposed to capital punishment and that the Labour Government would have given the same advise to the Queen.
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