CO129-594-9 Membership of Legislative and Executive Councils 31-12-1945 - 14-1-1947 — Page 152

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You

consideration on account of his activities (for which, however, he has already been asked to withdraw from public life) unless others like M.K. Lo are also debarred on account of their similar activities. will appreciate that it is important that your recommendations should be received in sufficient time to enable decisions to be taken and the necessary formalities for the appointments completed.

8. You will have already received our telegram of 3rd January about the 58 persons awaiting trial, in which we indicated that those charged with activities comparable to those of the Chinese leaders, which were then still under consideration here, would be affected by a decision on the latter. In view of the conclusion now reached concerning the Chinese leaders, it will no doubt be decided to release those of the 58 referred to above who were charged with activities comparable to those of the Chinese leaders. We gathered from Razlerigg that there were not many of these, as the majority of the persons in question were charged with the more personal acts such as betraying and informing which ought certainly, in our view, to go for trial when there is a prima facie case.

G. Finally, I understand that some reference was made to the question of taking proceedings against an Indian who became a member of the Indian Indopondence League. You will I knowensure that this question is referred to us before any action is taken, if it is proposed to take proceedings, in view of the Indian aspect.

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) T. I. K. LLOYD.