PORTATION OF BRITISH SUBJECTS FROM THE COLONIES,
PROTECTORATES, AND MANDATED TERRITORIES.
Membership of the Committee.
Mr. VERNON.
Mr. CALDER.
Mr. COOKE.
Mr. CREASY.
Mr. SIDEBOTHAM.
Mr. BIGG.
Mr. ROBERTS-WRAY.
Mr. L. S. SMITH (Secretary).
Terms of Reference.
To consider and report what conditions should govern the deportation of British subjects from the Colonies not possessing responsible government, Pro- Lectorates and Mandated Territories, and to draft model provisions for inclusion in Colonial legislation on the subject.'
REPORT
We
Our terms of reference require us "to consider and report what conditions should govern the deportation of British subjects from the Colonies not possessing responsible government, Protectorates and Mandated Territories, and to draft model provisions for inclusion in Colonial legislation on the subject." have held ten meetings and considered a number of papers which have been circulated to us, and certain other files of papers which have been referred to us for consideration or information. We have not thought it necessary to call witnesses.
2. We have found that the subject referred to us presents a great variety of problems of a difficult and somewhat complicated character. We have there- ore been particularly anxious to avoid in any way extending or going beyond our terms of reference. We have, however, found it necessary to take into con- sideration certain matters which are closely related to the question of the deportation of British subjects, but do not fall strictly within the terms of reference. The inclusion in the latter of Protectorates and Mandated Terri- tories makes it necessary to take into account British protected persons as well as British subjects, and in the case of Mandated Territories the fact that dis- crimination between British subjects and aliens would be contrary to the spirit and, except in the case of Palestine, to the terms of the mandates has compelled us to have some regard to the question of the deportation of aliens.
3. A more important enlargement of our enquiry is connected with the question of the restriction of immigration. We have sought to avoid any close consideration either of the principles underlying immigration restriction legis- lation or the details of their application, but we feel that there is a necessary correspondence between the rules which govern letting people into a place and those which govern turning them out, and that it is impossible to determine So far as the the latter without bearing the former to some extent in mind. United Kingdom is concerned, the position at present is that no British subject na be refused admission and no British subject can be deported. British rotected persons are aliens in the United Kingdom, and do not enjoy all the ivileges attaching to British nationality. We recognize that it would not be Rensoible to expect all the Colonies and Protectorates to follow the United Kingdom in according free admission to all persons who are British subjects and refraining from deporting any such persons. Conditions of climate and
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