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for the death penalty. In March this year the Governor therefore agreed that Members of the Executive Council should feel free to abstain from giving advice on death sentences in cases in which they would otherwise feel obliged to advise that the sentence should be carried out. This delicate agreement between the Governor and his Executive Council is, of course, confidential.
4.
During the debate on the Governor's address to the Legislative Council in October the issue arose again in an acute form. The Unofficial Hembers strongly pressed for the restoration of the death penalty in an attempt to curb the rising crime rate. In answering the debate, the Colonial Secretary, with the agreement of Ministers, said that the Governor had once again represented to the Secretary of State in the strongest terms the wish in Hong Kong for the restoration of the death penalty in those cases in which the circumstances of the crime left no reasonable justification for clemency. He also said that, in recognition of the strength of public opinion on this issue, the Governor had decided that when he commuted a death sentence he would, save in exceptional circumstances, impose an alternative punishment of full life imprisonment. We deduce from reports on press comment on this announcement that opinion in the Colony may well have reacted favourably and that there may well be some recognition of the impracticability of reintroducing the death penalty.
5.
The factual and statistical information asked for by Lord Goronwy-Roberts for the proposed discussion of this matter. with the Governor is annexed.
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department
27 November 1975
SPORT
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