TNAG-0408-FCO40-454-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 62

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Telephone: 940 9214

Mr Michael J.Macoun

Inspector-General of Colonial Police Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

Dear Mr Macoun

20 Bishops Close' Ham Common Richmond Surrey

24 September 1973

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.51 26 SEP 1973

JKKN/1

Following a conversation with an MP、who returned from Hongkong recently having spent two days with the police at PTS, the AC Office and the Narcotics Bureau and concluded (on the basis of chats he had with a number of officers) that the graft problem would be solved purely by the appointment of "a more energetic Commissioner of Police", and his doubt in the value of my own assessment in the light of my not having visited Hongkong since 1969, I leave for the Colony today in part to remove any substance from such criticism. The naive assessment of the MP not only lacks perspective but is dangerous to the real initial answer to the problem of the graft conspiracy (the appointment of an externally-constituted judicial commission of inquiry with wide terms of reference) and to the reputation of Charles Sutcliffe.

The MP observed that morale was low and laid blame for this upon Mr Sutcliffe. Morale, I told him, was low ten years ago because no action was being taken against the graft conspiracy and may be low with some officers now because action is being taken - and taken by Charles Sutcliffe who has been the most energetic of any of the commissioners since 1962. I fear the MP is leaning too heavily on opinions which may not be entirely without interest and that Mr Sutcliffe may be unjustly criticised for faults which are not his. You know my views on this but I enclose a clipping from the HONGKONG STAR of 3rd September which, in hack form, represents those views publicly. Please return the clipping as soon as possible.

If for any reason you need to contact me while I am away, please call my wife on the above number and she will tell you where I may be reached. I will be back in about two weeks time and during 'my stay I hope that Mr Sutcliffe will accept the invitation I have already sent to him that we might meet for a private dinner and discuss the general situation.

Yours sincerely

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