HKK 1/12
From The Minister of State
نر
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
10 February, 1969.
186
1261
Thank you for your letter of 9 January about the detainees in Hong Kong.
May I say first of all, that Mr. Litton's suggestion that the Hong Kong Government is unwilling to relinquish its powers under emergency regulations is completely wide of the mark. Neither we nor the Governor have any wish whatsoever to see emergency regulations (and in particular, Regulation 31 which confers the power of detention) continued in operation a moment longer than is necessary. This has already been made clear in answer to Questions in the House of Commons.
The process of terminating the operation of emergency regulations has in fact been in progress since September 1967. But the regulation conferring the power of detention must continue in operation until it has been found possible to release all the remaining detainees, who are now down to four in number.
You suggest in your letter that "if the processes of law could be used to better advantage, our image would probably be improved". On this I would certainly agree that if the emergency powers in their most severe form are no longer required it is much better to revoke them, relying on the substantive law and strengthening this where necessary. This is a course which the Governor
J. TILNEY, ESQ., TD., MP.
LABT REF.
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