RC
EN CLAIR
IMMEDIATE
TELNO 598
HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
30 JULY 1969
31 JUL 1969
на
HKCK Wh
UNCLASSIFIED
33
G KONG
ADDRESSED F C O TELEGRAM NO. 598 OF 30 JULY REPEATED HONG KO GOVERNMENT OFFICES LONDON, RAWALPINDI, DELHI, KUALA LUMPUR, SINGAPORE. CANBERRA. WELLINGTON AND PEKING.
YOUR TELNO 434 TO RAWALPINDI : COMMONWEALTH IMMIGRATION.
V
TEXT OF STATEMENT MADE BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT 0530 GNT TODAY IS AS FOLLOWS:
''IN ANSWERING A QUESTION IN THIS COUNCIL ON THE 2ND JULY I SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD THE QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL UNDER REVIEW. THIS WAS VERY MUCH THE TRUTH, AND IN FACT THE REVIEW HAD GOT TO A STAGE WHERE THE CONCLUSION HAD BEEN REACHED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE
ADDITIONAL CONTROLS.
IT IS IN SUCH MATTERS USUALLY UNDESIRABLE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS THAT AN ADMINISTRATION SHOULD GIVE LONG NOTICE OF ITS INTENTION TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS, AND I HAD NOT INTENDED TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT IN THE MATTER UNTIL THE NECESSARY AMENDING BILL WAS READY FOR PRESENTATION TO THIS COUNCIL IN A FORTNIGHT'S TIME.
HOWEVER SPECULATION ON GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS HAS APPEARED IN PRESS, AND INEVITABLY IN THE ABSENCE OF AN AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS MAY BE EXAGGERATED OR THE IR
MOTIVES MISUNDERSTOOD. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES I HAVE AGREED WITH MY COLLEAGUE, THE HONOURABLE Y.K.KAN, THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO MAKE A STATEMENT TODAY. IN ANSWERING THE QUESTION TO WHICH I HAVE ALREADY REFERRED I SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF COMMON-
WEALTH COUNTRIES REQUIRE A VISA OR OTHER EQUIVALENT DOCUMENT
TO COVER ENTRY FOR THE PURPOSE OF RESIDENCE OR EMPLOYMENT.
IT IS NOW THE VIEW OF THIS GOVERNMENT THAT THE TIME HAS COME FOR
HONG KONG TO FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE. ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL REASONS WHY OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE INTRODUCED CONTROLS AND RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRATION IS TO LIMIT THE ENTRY OF UNSKILLED WORKERS WHO HAVE NOTHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY AND WHO MAY BECOME A CHARGE
ON THE PUBLIC REVENUES. THE FACT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN IN
RECENT MONTHS A SUBSTANTIAL BUILD UP OF UNSKILLED WORKERS FROM
LAST
REF.
NEXT
RCF.
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/THE