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news worker against whom Mr. Grey was being
held. The tactic succeeded and Mr. Grey was
certainly h
for
for
released. It would be appropriate to have the
G.
Governor reconvene the Board two years later
i.e. in May 1971, but the Governor could do this earlier never the letters Patent.
Argument for Further Review
7.
There are in our view powerful arguments
for the further review of sentences based
Khis time on the principle set out in Colonial
Office circular 557/60 of May 1960 that there
should be regular review of sentences
(correctly) imposed for exemplary purposes.
Three years have now passed since the distur-
bances. Hong Kong is calm and we have proved
beyond any doubt our determination not to be
cowed by Communist pressure.
The Communists
have tacitly recognised this by calling off
the Campaign of Violence and by instructing
their followers to keep within the Law. The
in rating Chinese leaders are pursuing relatively
pragmatic and moderate policies at home and
abroad. None of the Confrontation prisoners
already released has, to our knowledge, been
re-arrested for violent breaches of the law.
Therefore
very It is extremely unlikely that any of those
released in future would resort once more to
2
violence: if they did so, it would be against
present
>
Peking's express instructions. Moreover the
question of Confrontation prisoners is a
major irritant in Sino-Hong Kong relations (as well as Sino-British
Other
which could complicate the solution of awory
which are always
problem likely to arise between Hong Kong
and China.
8. The Governor will argue forcefully that
we cannot navaccanto interfere with the course
of justice. If we conceden the wanhes for of
principle
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relations
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