which is probably

relied.

upon

anxious

Hongkong

in search

of relief. He is

251

(ready to give my explanation required

people, among

jurors of him, and

are

Intens

strongly

in favour of the harsh punishment of death. Anglo-Indian officials accustomed to

deal with cases like his, out to him,

was not preferred until ten

months after that punishment

punished

with

the trivial

decision upon

the charge of giving a loan to da Rocha, which also Altar Singh has denied receiving from the pirate.

An affidavit by him, appended to the memorandum, states that he was not

given any copies of the charges,

or evidence in support thereof.

In fact, there was

and no

proper trial well

opportunity given of proving

his

innocence

on

the

charges.

On these grounds

stated in the memorandum, I beg you

to give careful consideration

of

the

case.

He has

come all the

way

here

to

pour

out

his

grievances.

The

Council

here

has

given him an opportunity of defending

himself against the charges.

I am

ready, however, to recognize that if his official superiors at Hong

Kong

departmentally

argue

that he should be retained in the force, their decision

could not be easily interfered with. But even in that aspect of

the

case,

Summary dismissal with loss of pension after eighteen

years of service cannot but be regarded

as

a

very rigorous punishment and I am convinced that on a

re-consideration

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