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the Governor within 5 weeks of receipt of his
preliminary conclusions on a particular case (or 4
weeks if we had to refer back on some point). This
would allow 3 weeks for ExCo to consider the matter.
lf ExCo reacted quickly, we could make an Order within
about the 8 week period envisaged. Failing this we
could announce our intention to do so. Sir M MacLehose wonduce
asked whether HMG would really need 5 weeks.
It was
important not to rush ExCo. Their initial reaction
would almost certainly be worse than their considered
view. He hoped the problem could be faced squarely
not
and the case in effect, be retried in Britain.
case
Mr Royle agreed, but said that the Secretary of State
must not be precluded from raising some particular
point with Hong Kong.
Sir M MacLehose accepted this. ung deinded to support him, and then changed it's m But if there was a decisión to allow the law to take its
Hook
eourse, and thenĜn response to a public outcry after
and deccited to Chayed the lawf
an execution, the law were then to be changed, this He needed to
would be the worst solution of all. Thus IMG must
be sure
that a decision to support kin would be maintained stand by such a decision for a number of years. So, say, two years.
13.
Mr Royle enquired whether ExCo, if faced with
the inevitable, would not prefer to change the law
themselves rather than to let it be changed by Order
in Council. Sir M MacLehose said this could be put
to them, but he thought it unlikely that they would
evor agree to change the law themselves.
14. Hr Royle said that it would not be possible to
have categories of murder, with capital punishment
retained for certain of them. Sir M MacLehose
/accepted
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