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Minutes.
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Hague Convention Vsays nothing whatever about em-
ploying interned soldiers, it does not seem to me
that such a procedure would be illegal according
to international law although I think in all
probability we should have to pay them something
for the work which they do and we might be able
to deduct the cost of keeping them from their
wages. Prima facie the expenses caused by the in- ternment would fall upon the Chinese Government
but it might be possible to make an arrangement by which the wages earned by these soldiers would
be partially used to pay for these expenses.
Pakick Dean
19th March, 1940.
Please
draft
letter to
M: Gent putting forward M. Henniker. Major's sugg= explaining briefly the legal position.
+
Jome 201
With all respect for Mr. Dean's legal
opinion, I think we ought to go into the question
a bit further before suggesting to the Colonial
Office that these internees can be shipped off to
Malaya/
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NOTHING
TO
BE
WRITTEN
IN
THIS
MARGIN.
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