TNAG-0494-FCO40-559-Establishment-of-Anti-Corruption-Commission-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 48

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

GRPS 300

FM HONG KONG 049935Z

RESTRICTED

STAFF IN CONFIDENCE

RESTRICTED

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No.52

4 SEP1974

HKK 14/4

TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 892 Of

SCOTEMBER.

LAST

REF

NEXT

1974.

82 87

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 766: HEAD OF CID.

HOWELL ARRIVED IN HONG KONG ON 28 AUGUST AND NEXT DAY COMMENCED A BRIEFING AND FAMILIARISATION PROGRAMME OF ONE MONTH'S DURATION BEFORE ACTUALLY ASSUMING THE DUTIES OF DIRECTOR CID, HE HAD LONG' SESSIONS WITH CP AND DEPUTY CP, SAW HIS FLAT, TOOK PART IN FAREWELL FOR HIS PREDECESOR, AND DINED WITH DEPUTY CP ON 30TH. DURING THIS TIME HE PROJECTED AN IMPRESSIVE MATURE CONFIDENT ATTITUDE. AFTER A QUIET WEEK-END NO CHANGE WAS APPARENT. ON 2 SEPTEMBER.

2. BUT ON 3 SEPTEMBER HE SOUGHT INTERVIEWS WITH DCP AND CP AND STATED THAT HE HAD CONCLUDED THAT HONG KONG WAS FACING AN ECONOMIC AND SECURITY CRISIS AND HE WAS NOT PREPARED TO ENDANGER HIS FAMILY

BY BRINGING THEM HERE NOR WAS HE PREPARED TO BE SEPARATED FROM THEM. HE THEREFORE WISHED TO TERMINATE HIS CONTRACT.

3. WHEN ASKED HOW HE HAD SO CONCLUDED, HE WAS EVASIVE AND SAID THAT HE HAD A NOSE FOR TROUBLE. IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS HE ALSO SAID HE FELT INSUFFICIENTLY EQUIPPED TO TACKLE THE JOB. HE SHOWED SIGNS OF EXTREME TENSION AND APPEARED IMPERVIOUS TO ARGUMENT.

4. HE HAS NOW SUBMITTED HIS NOTICE OF THREE MONTHS TERMINATION OF CONTRACT WHICH I AM HOLDING AND IS TALKING ABOUT PAYING ONE MONTH'S SALARY IN LIEU OF NOTICE.

15. MORRISON

RESTRICTED