CO129-573-8 Disposal of prisoners sentenced by Supreme Court of China 3-6-1938 - 25-8-1938 — Page 13

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Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Government House,

Hong Kong, 28th May, 1938.

Sir,

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I have the honour to refer to Section 70 of the

China Order in Council 1925, regarding the sending for

imprisonment to Hong Kong or to places in some other part of

His Majesty's Dominions of prisoners sentenced by His

Majesty's Supreme Court in China.

2. I understand the reasons for these provisions of the Order in Council to be that adequate prison facilities do not exist in the places of jurisdiction in China for the

accommodation of prisoners so sentenced to long terms of

imprisonment and that such prisons as exist do not provide an

organized system of hard labour. In addition it is realized

of course that conditions in Shanghai in the latter part of

1937 were most unfavourable for the detention of long-term

prisoners there.

3. On the other hand the Hong Kong prisons are not really suitable for the detention of Europeans for any but the shortest periods. Moreover, the prison is already seriously overcrowded by prisoners sentenced by local courts.

4. It has been found possible occasionally to arrange for the removal of prisoners, sentenced to imprisonment in

Hong Kong by His Majesty's Supreme Court in China, to India or

their domicile elsewhere. This course, however, not only

His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador,

involves

SHANGHAI.