CR 1/501/74
RECEIVED REGISTRY NO.52 -3 DEC 1974
HKCK 21/5
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For Stuart.
CONFIDENTIAL
(27)
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Dig/widdy
Colonial Secretariat,
Lower Albert Road,
Hong Kong.
27th November, 1974 R&R
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Thank you for your letter HKK 21/5 dated 5th November, 1974, on the subject of the death of Mr. KWAN Kung.
The "eye-witness" to whom Mr. KWAN Chung Lam referred was a fruit hawker named Madam CHAU kin-fong and a copy of a statement made by her was attached to Crowson's letter dated 23rd January, 1974, to Peter Lloyd. The police have commented that a statement by Madam Chau was also recorded by them and included in the death report submitted to the Coroner. This was helpful in establishing the location and time of day but it cannot be used to establish what happened in the vital seconds before the accident. The statement made to the police is similar to that attached to Crowson's letter and you will note in this the words "suddenly I heard a bang and I saw..
In other words, she only became aware of the accident when she heard it happen and did not see what led up to it.
Apart from this the allegations made by Mr. KWAN Chung Lam in his letter of 27th August, 1974, did not appear to contain anything new. The Independent Commission Against Corruption have already examined this case very closely, as explained in Alan Mason's letter dated 4th June, 1974, to Crowson.
Finally, we accept that there were unfortunate administrative errors in the handling of this case and these have undoubtedly contributed to the attitude adopted by Mr. KWAN Chung Lam. However, at this stage there is little we can do except to try to ensure that such errors do not occur again. The penultimate paragraph of Lord Goronwy- Roberts's letter to Mr. Carter dated 27th June, 1974, is also relevant.
A.C. Stuart, Esq.,
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Нивёт
(H.M.A. Bristow)
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept., Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London S.W.1.
C.S. 143
CONFIDENTIAL
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