TNAG-1812-FCO40-2573-Preservation-of-Ohel-Leah-Synagogue-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 31

D6 SCENIC VILLAS

VICTORIA ROAD

HONG KONG

5-8160321

HKD294/1

RF

1 JUL 1988

Handed to me

at Connivative trovand meeting to Hu

For reply by me

ps &

1 July 1988

Daria hohlammon

/PS| Langenarth)

The Lord Glenar bhur

House of Lords

London

4/+

Dear Lord Glenarthur

OHEL LEAH SYNAGOGUE, HONG KONG

We met briefly at Government House when you last visited Hong Kong; I am a founder member of UK Conservatives Abroad in Hong Kong and a member of the Antiquities Advisory Board of the Hong Kong government.

I am sure you are

familiar with the issues concerning the proposed demolition of the synagogue.

I and other members of the Antiquities Advisory Board are most concerned about the matter, not merely because Hong Kong is about to lose part of its material heritage, but because Lord Kadoorie and senior government officials have colluded in a morally corrupt way to achieve their ends. The matter has been pursued in the courts and through OMELCO but Lord Kadoorie has used his wealth and influence to ensure that all the appropriate authorities, who might have rectified the matter, have conformed with his wishes to the detriment of Hong Kong as a whole.

The grisly details of the affair are being published in a six-part series by Target Newspapers in Hong Kong and I feel you should be aware of the facts of the case which will almost certainly not have been given to you by the Hong Kong government. I enclose the first two articles and will arrange for the next four to be sent to you in England.

I would be most grateful if you would personally look into the matter. Another member of the Antiquities Advisory Board, Mr David Russell, is approaching the Queen.

I fully understand that the British government cannot interfere with the internal workings of the Hong Kong government but, while this territory is still under the aegis of the United Kingdom, I believe most Hong Kong people wish that British justice and British norms of behaviour in public life should be maintained, not least by Hong Kong's only member of the House of Lords.

Yours sincerely

Sally Rodwell.

SALLY RODWELL

Enclosures