CO129-613-6 Arrest of members of the Kwang Tung Provincial Peace Preservation Corps 10-1-1947 - 25-11-1947 — Page 16

I would accordingly propose to write a private letter to Sir Alexander Grantham, saying that we should be interested to hear what decision was taken on the suggestion and stating the objections which we see to it. The first is the implication that the remission of sentences for crimes committed in a British Colony is something that may be determined having regard to purely extraneous political con- siderations. Secondly, if the Governor were to remit the sentences after Vice-Minister George Yeh's display, it would be extremely difficult to convince the Chinese that this was not done as the result of his display, with the result that they would be encouraged to use similar tactics in the future, and, what is perhaps equally objectionable, would assume that we accepted political expediency as a reason for remission of sentences.

Before writing to Sir Alexander Grantham on the above lines, I should be very grateful for your views, both on Lamb's suggestion and the view which we taken on that suggestion here.

Yours sincerely,

Sąd. (N.L. Mayle)

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