TNAG-1210-FCO40-1513-Hong-Kong-laws-on-homosexuality-employment-of-homosexuals-wi-1982 — Page 91

PP HONG KONG

GRS 390

CONFIDENTIAL

DISTRIBUTION SELECTORS . FILE COPY

NO DISTRIBUTION

FM FCO 04150OZ FEB 82

ни

HK Section нкоя

Htel

SLEY NO

16

TO PRIORITY GOV HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 69 OF 4 FEBRUARY.

DESK

INDE

FOLLOWING TELEGRAM RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE.

FOR S.H.A. FROM CATER.

I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM PETER BLAKER, MP, IN THE

FOLLOWING TERMS:-

QUOTE DEAR JACK, I WONDER IF I COULD PUT TO

YOU A RATHER UNUSUAL REQUEST.

I AM SUING PRIVATE EYE'' FOR LIBEL ARISING OUT OF

AN ARTICLE WHICH THEY PUBLISHED SOME EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO

AT THE TIME OF THE INQUEST ON THE POLICE INSPECTOR WHO

COMMITTED SUICIDE. I BELIEVE HIS NAME WAS MCLENNAN.

THE ''PRIVATE EYE'' ARTICLE COMPLAINED THAT I HAD

REFUSED TO DIRECT THAT A JUDICIAL ENQUIRY SHOULD BE HELD

INTO THE CASE, ON WHICH YOU WILL REMEMBER THE CORONER'S

JURY HAD RETURNED AN OPEN VERDICT. THE ''PRIVATE EYE' ARTICLE.

WENT ON TO ADD THAT MY FATHER OWNS A LARGE PART OF THE

TERRITORY OF HONG KONG. THE CLEAR IMPLICATION WAS THAT I

WAS REFUSING TO HOLD AN INVESTIGATION BECAUSE I OR MY FATHER

HAD A PECUNIARY INTEREST IN HONG KONG.

I AM ADVISED BY MY SOLICITORS AND BY COUNSEL THAT

I AM ALMOST CERTAIN TO WIN MY CASE. INDEED THEY EXPECT

''PRIVATE EYE' TO CONCEDE THE CASE, BUT PROBABLY ONLY A FEW

DAYS BEFORE IT IS DUE FOR HEARING.

MY LEGAL ADVISERS HAVE ASKED IF I COULD PRODUCE A

WITNESS WHO COULD GIVE EVIDENCE AS TO THE FREEDOM OF ACTION

ENJOYED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG VIS A VIS H.M.G.

I MADE TO THEM THE POINT THAT THIS IS THE SORT OF CASE

IN WHICH I, AS THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE, WOULD HAVE LEFT THE DECISION TO THE GOVERNOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRACTICE

OF LEAVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO BE SETTLED BY THE GOVERNOR

AND THE RESPECTIVE COUNCILS IN HONG KONG.

Taks

DUA LLE