ment does not provide any time within which the Pfovincial Govern ment shall cither approve the sentence of this Court or give reasons for ordering a retrial. In this case, nine months have elapsed between the date of the original judgment and the date when the rehearing, took place by order of the'Provincial Government. The "reasons" set forth by the Provincial Government for this retrial are of a nature which has frequently and unavailinzly been protested against by the Senior Consul's Deputies on various oeeasions.. The presumption that something reasonable was meant by ths provisions of the Rendition Agreenent has been completely ignored and the proceedings in this ease hav> een turned into a farce.
Necilless to say, no witnesses: other than the. Shanghai Municipal Police were available after this long delay. The evidence, therefore, remains exactly the xame as at the original trial, Despite this fact, the: earned Judge has decided to reduep the sentence passed against the accused from ten years to six month The reason for this extraordinary, decision can doubtless be explained at considerable length, but it can searcely have such bearing upon the law or the facts in this case. If innocent, the accused should have been acquitted. If guilty—as the learned Judge apparently finds hi to be—than a sentence of six months is totally inadequate for a crime so serious as extortion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.