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WHOM ARE WANTED FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINARY LAW. OF TSE 22 ARE PROBABLY IN CHINA OR UNTRACEABLE. THE INTERIM POLICY, KEPT CONSTANTLY UNDER REVIEW, IS THAT THE REMAINING 11 WILL NOT BE SEARCHED OUT IN DELICATE AREAS, BUT THAT IF FOUND AND RECOGNISED IN A PUBLIC PLACE OR BY A POLICE OFFICER IN THE COURSE OF HIS DUTIES THEY WILL BE PICKED UP AND PROSECUTED. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. TO IGNORE THE OVERT PRESENCE OF SUCH PEOPLE WOULD SERIOUSLY UNDERMINE THE REPUTATION OF THE POLICE FORCE AND ORDERS TO DO SO WOULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE THE MORALE OF THE FORCE.
4. I THINK HOWEVER THAT THERE IS ONE ASPECT OF THE SITUATION ON WHICH WE MUST BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL. IN MY VIEW THERE IS NO LOGICAL OR REASONABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN ANY OF THE PERSONS STILL HELD BY THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE ONE HAND AND EVENTS IN HONG KONG ON THE
OTHER. WHILE I AGREE THAT ANY SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC ALTERATION IN
POLICIES MIGHT HAVE ITS DANGERS ON THE ONE SIDE, BUT ANY CONCESSION
WHICH MIGHT BE INTERPRETED AS BEING IN RESPONSE TO CHINESE POLICIES
WOULD HAVE EVEN GREATER DANGERS AND WOULD CREATE THE GRAVEST
DIFFICULTIES FOR THE FUTURE. ANY IDEA FOR INSTANCE THAT THE HARD
CORE OF CONVICTS LEFT OVER FROM 1967 IS NEGOTIABLE WOULD CREATE A
SITUATION WHICH MUST BE AVOIDED AT ALMOST ANY COST.
5. AM-INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECENT TRICKLE OF RELEASES HAD
DRIED UP WHICH I THINK WELL ILLUSTRATES THE SITUATION. A DETAINEE
HAD BEEN RELEASED IN JANUARY AND WAS PLACED UNDER SUPERVISION FOR
3 MONTHS, DURING WHICH TIME HE FAILED TO REPORT TO THE POLICE. SOME SIX AND A HALF MONTHS AFTER THE SUPERVISION ORDER HAD EXPIRED
HE WAS NOTICED BY AN ALERT POLICEMAN AND ARRESTED. WE THEN FOUND
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