URGENT
Reference..
Mr. Boon (Consular Department)
SMr. Croft (Migration & Visa Department) Comment embodied Mr. Mallett (Migration & Visa Department)
No comment. War. Webb (Nationality & Treaty Department)
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Commonwealth Immigration into Hong Kong
With my minute of 14 July on the above subject I enclosed a draft submission to which was attached a draft circular saving telegram for issue to all over- seas Missions. The draft submission was approved and the draft saving telegram was referred to Hong Kong for their comments.
2. Hong Kong have now replied in their Saving Despatch No. 937 with which they have forwarded a copy of a revised draft circular saving telegram to take the place of our own draft. I enclose copies of the Hong Kong Saving Despatch in question and of the Hong Kong revised draft saving telegram.
3. The Hong Kong revised draft is couched more in the form of departmental instructions (it was no doubt drafted by their Immigration Department) but I do not think that it differs in substance from our own draft. I should, however, be grateful to learn whether you see any objection to its terms.
Will Migration and Visa Department also please wafadvise whether we can comply with the request in
paragraph 2 of Hong Kong Saving Despatch 937.
Yes, we can! ANG.
21/8.
5. You will note that the Governor wishes to announce, on 27 August, that the scheme will be brought into force on 8 September and he asks for confirmation by telegram that we agree to the latter date for the introduction of the scheme. It will not give a great deal of time in which to give our Missions the necessary notice and the circular saving telegram will have to issue at the earliest possible moment to achieve this. However, those Missions most likely to be affected (Rawalpindi, Delhi, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Canberra, Wellington
and Peking) have already been informed of the intention to introduce the scheme. In fact news of this intention has already leaked and an interim statement on the subject was accordingly made by the Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong in the Legislative Council on 30 July. The text of this statement was conveyed to us in Hong Kong telegram No. 598 which was repeated to the Missions mentioned above.
6. There is now considerable urgency about this matter and I should be grateful if you would inform me (by telephone if possible):
(1) whether you see any objection to the introduction
of the scheme on 8 September.
(2) whether we can agree to the request in paragraph 2
of Hong Kong telegram 937.
(3) whether you see any objection to the Hong Kong
revised draft saving telegram.
/ (4)