TNAG-0680-FCO40-829-Review-of-death-sentences-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 25

PART I

Summary and Assessment

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY NO. 51

27 APR 1977

101013804

MRS. THATCHER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG

Three papers called on the Conservative leader, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, to have a better understanding of the real situation in Hong Kong during her two-day visit here. Sing Pao drew her attention to concern over stepped-up restrictions on Hong Kong exports by the EEC and the "overwhelming wish of the people to bring back the death penalty." The Hong Kong Daily News called on Mrs. Thatcher to visit the poorer sections of the community to better appreciate the real problems in Hong Kong. Wah Kiu Yat Po described her as "a future Prime Minister" and said it would be "very meaningful" for her to gain a deeper understanding of Hong Kong's situation.

Commenting on Mrs. Thatcher's Press conference, the Oriental Daily agreed with her that Hong Kong should be allowed to tackle its problems in its own way.

LORD DENNING'S REMARK ON THE DEATH PENALTY

Lord Denning, an eminent British jurist, who was in Hong Kong last week to give two lectures, said that sentencing convicted murderers to death and then automatically reprieving them lessened respect for the law. He added that it should be up to the people of Hong Kong to decide whether capital punishment should be carried out or abolished. His remark struck a responsive chord in several Chinese papers. The Express said the present situation with regard to the death penalty "has led the public to think that sentences passed by the courts are 'superfluous`.` It declared that the people of Hong Kong were "resolutely opposed to the abolition of the death penalty." Sing Tao Jih Pao took exception to the idea that the death penalty question had to be decided by Labour Party politicians without due regard to local sentiments. It agreed with Lord Denning that scrapping or keeping the death penalty in Hong Kong should be decided by the people here. Wah Kiu Yat Po said Lord Denning's remark on the death penalty "has hit the nail on the head". It expressed concern that "reprieving prisoners sentenced to death has created a wrong impression in the minds of the people about the independence of the judiciary.”

LEADING BANKS CUT INTEREST RATES

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Moves by the major banks last week to cut their interest rates received a mixed reaction from the Chinese press with several papers expressing their support. Hong Kong Times thought that the cut in the best lending rate by the banks might

The "prompt well-established firms to expand their investment and production". The Hong Kong Daily News and Wah Kiu Man Po believed that the move would stimulate the activities of business and industry as well as the stock market.

The left-wing Hong Kong Evening News said a cut in the prime rate would halt the massive inflow of "hot money" into Hong Kong. However, the Hong Kong Times and an editorial on the financial page of Wah Kiu Man Po disagreed that it could achieve such a result. The editorial on the financial page of Wah Kiu Man Po described Hong Kong Bank's move to slash interest rates as “a breach of an agreement among members of the Exchange Banks' Association.” It added that only a few manufacturers would benefit from a cut in the best lending rate. The Hong Kong Economie Journal saw Hong Kong Bank's move as an attempt to force local finance companies to curtail their activities.