although the recruitment of auxiliary police
had improved.
There was no doubt about the
view of the Chinese population.
Abolition
In
would cause a highly serious situation.
his view it would be dangerous to have a
referendum, particularly if we wished to
abolish the death penalty.
3. I explained that the Tsoi case came at a
particularly difficult time. It coincided
with the debates on Northern Ireland and on the
general question of the death penalty. The
House had been in a highly emotional state, and
there had lacers mat dangas of a political stom
I had not made up my mind on the general question.
We now needed a bit of time to consider
carefully what the attitude of Parliament
would be. I must now consult very carefully
with my colleagues. What would be most damaging
to Hong Kong's interests would be a constitutional
crisis in Parliament on the question of Hong
Kong. We must play the whole question very
cool and take all the time that we needed.
question of the death penalty was unique.
There was absolutely no desire to clip Hong
Kong's wings or to interfere in the general
conduct of her affairs.
4.
The
I asked, but without commitment, what
opinion in Hong Kong would be if imprisonment
that really was for life, was substituted for the death penalty. Y K Kan replied that this
would not deter Chinese criminals. The double
/murderer
032717 E.W.& S., Ltd. 164m 3/67.
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