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personal view, based purely on general grounds, is that the deterrent frect might well be considerable if the majority of those carrying or planting bombs were paid thugs, but loss so if the majority consist of people dedicated to their "cause", llave you yet sufficient information to assess into which category the majority fall?
6.
Another aspect on which we should like information is as follows, e have noted that there is much public concern, obviously, and some public pressure for the introduction of severer penalties. Nas this pressure been maintained? If so, is public support for severer penalties growing; and is it at all possible for you to judge whether a clear majority of public opinion would be in favour of the kind of penalties suggested in your telegram No. 13107 I know the difficulty of a qualitative judgment on these points, but any assessmmbt you can give would be most helpful.
4
Finally, I referred in paragraph 3 to possible alternatives, (ne which has occurred to us, and which we think should be looked at, is that unlawful possession might carry the penalty of life imprison- ment and that the death penalty should be confined to the offence of attempted murder by means of explosives etc. We should like to know what you would think of this; and in giving us your assessment of the effectiveness as a deterrent, could you possibly attempt a judgment as to the relative merits of this possible alternative as compared with the course set out in your telegram No. 1310.
$4. I realise the difficulty of answering some of these questions. But I am sure Ministers will want information on these points, and we should therefore be most grateful for the best assessment you can possibly give us.
9. The Governor is coming up to London next Wednesday, September 13th, to meet the Secretary of State and Lord Shepherd, and the greater part of t at afternoon has been set aside for discussion of Hong Kong problems with our Ministers and the Governor. I am sure that this question of a possible extension of the death penalty is one that Ministers and the Governor would wish to discuss. It would thereitre be most helpful if you could possibly get a telegram to me by midday
Wednesday
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