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involves a lengthy retention of such persons in the local prison but it also throws upon this Administration the burden of obtaining the consent of the Government of the place to
which transfer is made and thereafter of making the necessary
arrangements for warrants, passages and escorts.
5. My object in writing the present letter is to
ascertain whether in such cases it would not be possible for
His Majesty's Supreme Court in China to order that the
convicted prisoner should, subject to any necessary consent
being obtained, be ordered to serve his sentence in his place
of domicile, and for His Majesty's Consular Officers to secure
direct from the Government of such place of domicile the
necessary consent and to make all arrangements for transfer. It is presumed that in the case of Indians there would be
Indian policemen proceeding frequently on leave from Shangnai
or Tientsin to India who could act as escorts; but, when
necessary, prisoners could be accommodated temporarily in the
Hong Kong prison pending further removal to the place of
ultimate confinement. I observe that in a previous case, that
of ABDUL JABAR, dealt with in correspondence ending with the
letter of His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General at Shanghai
dated 2nd May, 1923, such a course was followed.
I have, etc.,
(Sd.) G. A. S. Northcote,
Governor.