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

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COPY

No. 10/2706/47.

No. 57.

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT, Lower Albert Road,

Hong Kong.

7th August, 1947.

25

Dear Chancery,

Thank you for your mote No. 167 of 19th June, 1947 enclosing

a copy of the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the conviction of the two members of the Kvangtung Provincial Peace

Preservation Corps.

We would be

It will be

Although we agree with the Ministry concerning the irrelevancy of the informal agreement (the irrelevancy being confirmed, if it needed confirming, by the fact that the agreement was never invoked) we are at

a loss to suggest any very novel reply to the Ministry. content with a polite rejection of their somewhat startling contention

that the Supreme Court of Hong Kong had no furisdiction. recalled that the acts on which the two Peace Preservation Corps men were tried and convicted were proved to have been committed within thes Colony's territorial waters and were contrary to the laws of Hong Kong. It would perhaps be well to leave the Ministry under no illusion regarding the powere of the Supreme Court concerning illegal acts done

anywhere in the Colony or the waters thereof,

The Chancery,

British Embassy,

NANKING.

Yours ever,

ECRETARIAT.