TNAG-0687-FCO40-836-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 181

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING THAT EVERY SANE PERSON, IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE. OR OUT OF IT WANTS TO SEE THE END OF CORRUPTION.

HE WAS SPEAKING ON A SPECIAL RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG PROGRAMME +OPENING SESSION+, TELEVISED YESTERDAY, IN WHICH HE DISCUSSED VARIOUS TOPICS WITH A PANEL OF JOURNALISTS COMPRISING MR. ANTHONY LAWRENCE, MR. ROBERT HO AND MR.

WAI KEE-SHUN.

ON CORRUPTION WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE, SIR MURRAY SAID A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE.

+ IT'S IN A MUCH HEALTHIER STATE THAN IT WAS AND I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE PROGRESS IN DEALING WITH CRIME WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE BUT FOR THIS PROGRESS, + HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY EXPRESSED DISAPIOINTMENT, HOWEVER, THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT HE REGARDED AS +OVER-REACTION+ ON THE PART OF SOME OFFICERS TO ICAC OPERATIONS.

IT WAS PITY, HE SAID, THAT SOME SHOULD HAVE OVER-REACTED AT A TIME WHEN THE FORCE WAS BEING SO SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER WAYS, AS REFLECTED IN THE DROPPING CRINE FIGURES. MORE==

AKK 382/16.

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SIR MURRAY DISAGREED WITH THE IMPLICATION THAT THOSE WHO TOOK PART IN THE MEETING AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS LAST WEEK HAD SOMETHING TO HIDE.

A VERY CAREFUL INVESTIGATION WAS UNDER..AY INTO THE HUTCHISON HOUSE INCIDENT, HE ADDED, AND HE EXPECTED IT TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

ON THE QUESTION OF POLICE COMPLAINTS, SIR MURRAY SAID THEY HAD RAISED VARIOUS PROCEDURAL POINTS AND IN SOME CASES IT WAS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING.

ASKED HOW COMPETENT HE CONSIDERED THE FORCE TO BE IN CARRYING OUT LAW AND ORDER, SIR MURRAY SAID: +IT'S FIRST CLASS. IT'S NEVER DONE IT BETTER.+.

SIR MURRAY PECALLED THAT THE POLICE HAD MADE IMMENSE PROGRESS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS SUCCESSFULLY RE-ESTABLISHING GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC, RECRUITING MORE OFFICERS AND CHANGING THEIR METHODS TO MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE AGAINST

CRIME.

+THE RESULT IS NOW YOU HAVE DROPPING CRIME FIGURES,+ HE SAID.

(FULL TRANSCRIPT BY AIR MAIL)

INFORMS HONG KONG==REUTER

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