TNAG-0408-FCO40-454-Allegations-of-bribery-and-corruption-in-the-Hong-Kong-polic-1973 — Page 81

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MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR TO DISCUSS BLAIR-KERK

RECOM ENDATIONS ON A ENDM NTS TO COLONIAL EGULATIONS

GOVELNING RUTINEMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICERS

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As promised.

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The Governor explained his need to be able to

retile compulsorily police and other public service

officers, at the Queen's pleasure, for reasons good

enough to satisfy the Secretary of State, when those

reasons would either not be admittable or would not

stand up in a Court of law.

There was a fairly lengthy discussion on the

Governor's powe s to do this under the existing

Colonial Regulations (which had in any case been

amended in 1970 in their application to Hong Kong

for just this reason). It was decided that Col.

Reg. No 55 which provides for the removal of public

service officers at the queen's pleasure (without

necessarily loss of pension or gratuity), could be

used by Hong Kong in cases of corruption, but that it

would be advisable to use it 'as a last resort'.

Col. Reg. 59 which empowers the Governor to retire

officers in the public interest could and should be

used with No 55 as a fall-back position if nece sary.

Sir Murray MacLehose said that if British expe ience

was an thing to go by, this should serve his

purpose 9 times out of 10.

He had talked about this

to Sir Robert Mark the Commissioner of Police, who

had said that in most cases when they confronted

officers suspected of corruption, and suggested it

would be a good thing if they rat went, in nine cases

out of 10 they did go without fuss.

However, Sir Murray MacLehose did say that there

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