CO129-383 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 604

}

598

(22206/11)

It is thus therefore competent for the Chinese Govern-

ment to ask for the rendition of any Chinese Criminal who

)

a

has committed a crime in the Empire and sought asylum in

Hongkong, and it is for the judicial authorities in Hongkong

to determine whether the offence with which the man is

charged is one of the Extradition Crimes scheduled in the

local ordinance and whether the circumstances warrant his

surrender.

It is understood from Sir F. Lugard's despatch that the

Chinese are, in practice, only in the habit of applying for

extradition under the provisions of this Article in cases of

capital or very grave crimes and His Excellency seems to

think it desirable that the Chinese authorities should be

encouraged to utilize it for minor offences as well. The

danger would appear to lie in the possibility, if the prac-

tice were extended, of Great Britain making itself a party

to and facilitating a system by which very drastic punish-

ments might be inflicted for comparatively trifling offences.

Mr. Wei Han evidently recognizes this when he proposes that

the Canton Government should give an undertaking that

execution