TNAG-0217-FCO40-253-Detainees-and-prisoners-convicted-for-offences-during-the-di-1970 — Page 28

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FEC

75

C.S. 41A

2600077

10,000-3/70-B74512

REF.

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CONFIDENTIAL

PERSONAL

COLONIAL SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

1970

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Dear John Witte of 12 December Lumber,

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1112 Sion. Manion at Thank you for your letter of 18 November. We had taken note of the most unwelcome remarks about Johnston made to you by the Chinese Charge d'Affaires as reported in paragraph 2 of your letter of 13 November.

3/50/23

There are now five female confrontation prisoners at Tai Lam whose earliest release dates are: two in July 1971, one in August 1972 and two in April 1973.

Mus.%2

3.

In mid-October I gave Sir Hugh Norman-Walker a full account of our discussions with the Commissioner of Prisons concerning the female prisoners at Tai Lam Centre and the young male prisoner at Chi Mà Wan. He had noted the foreboding remarks made to Tomlinson when he informed him of the impending release of the two further sick prisoners (F.C.0. telegram No. 387 to Peking of 4 November). Sir Hugh would therefore not be surprised to be asked to consider what further releases could be made. But as Sir David Trench is due back on 12 December it seems to me that Sir Hugh would hardly want to take decisions of this nature without consulting him. I suggest therefore that the best tactic is for you to take up the subject with Sir David Trench on some convenient occasion before he leaves London.

4.

I showed your letter of 18 November to Denys Roberts who is a key person in this matter, not only as the Governor's legal adviser but also as the Chairman of the Prison Board of Review. As you know he fully understands the considerations which weigh upon you in the F.C.0. and will do his best to help. He pointed out to me that the female confrontation prisoners have already been discussed on two occasions by the Board of Review. The suggestion that they should be released purely on grounds of their sex was strongly opposed by the only female member of the Board. She did not see any reason to discriminate in favour of women. She argued that, if we did treat women more leniently, it was likely that on the next occasion when we had trouble with the communists they would use women more widely to do the criminal jobs. It so happens that another meeting of the Board of Review will take place on 11 December. Denys Roberts said that he would raise the question orally of the female confrontation prisoners to test the temperature of the water. If he found it very cold, he would quickly withdraw but if there was any sympathy he might perhaps be able to produce a report for the Governor which might be useful to you. I thanked him for this offer.

/Contd..

J.A.L. Morgan, Esq.,

Far Eastern Department,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

LONDON, S.W.1.

CONFIDENTIAL

HICK 1/12