TNAG-0400-FCO40-446-Review-of-the-death-sentence-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 99

S

$30

GRPS 150

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 059135Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

xx 14/16

I

TOP COPY

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELNO 491 OF 5TH MAY, 1973.

MY TELNO 489,

I SHOULD ALSO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION IN THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 14 THIS YEAR:

* * *AS THE DEATH PENALTY HAS NOT BEEN CARRIED OUT IN HONG KONG FOR

A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS THERE A COMPETENT EXECUTIONER NOW

AVAILABLE SHOULD HIS SERVICES BE REQUIRED?''

THE COLONIAL SECRETARY'S ANSWER WAS:

''THE SHORT ANSWER TO THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS THAT EFFICIENT

ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE TO CARRY OUT AN EXECUTION SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO DO SO.''

2. 1 THINK THIS HINT COULD BE HELD TO BE RATHER MORE RELEVANT THAN

THE SERIES OF ANSWERS TO PRESS QUESTIONS GIVEN IN MY PARAGRAPH 2. 1

WM SORRY IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FIRST PLACE,

MACLEHOSE

FILES

HKLOD

NEWS D

PS

PS/PUS --

PS/WR ROYLE MR WILFORD

SIR E NORRIS

CONFIDENTIAL