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decided that he would prepare a paper on the subject for the Secretary of State. He will send a copy to Mr. Royle who will speak to the Secretary of State over the telephone next week. Mr. Royle told the Governor that we would do all we could in our power to help but, as the Governor realised, a decision on the future of Sterling Agreements would have to be taken at the very highest level.
Capital Punishment in Hong Kong
6. Mr. Royle told the Governor that it was his firm personal view that there was no question of him being over-ruled again. Although any future course of action would have to be taken up in the D.O.P. Committee, it was his strong conviction that if the Governor were to uphold the death penalty for a convicted murderer again and an appeal were made to Her Majesty, a decision would be taken either to allow the law to take its course or to change the law by Order in Council within eight weeks, i.e. along the lines of para. 5 (b) of your Brief of 8 August for Mr. Royle. The Governor told Mr. Royle that unless this hap- pened he would find himself in an impossible position. He did say, however, that he did not expect the next difficult case to come before him until November.
Hong Kong Commissioner in London
7. The Governor told Mr. Royle that he was not averse to the idea of a Chinese becoming the next Hong Kong Commissioner in London, i.e. at the end of Mr. Kidd's appointment. He thought that Sir Y. K. Kan would probably not want to do it - although he would of course be an excellent candidate. Mr. Royle said that he thought that in fact Sir Y. K. Kan might well be tempted by an offer of the job. This had been the impression he gained when he raised the matter in jest with Sir Y. K. earlier this year.
Mass Transit Scheme
8.
The Governor thought that a final decision on the contract would be taken next March. In the meantime the competing consortia would probably
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