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Hong Kong
HKK 18/35
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Immigration & Deportation Bill
This bill appears to confer upon officials in Hong Kong far-reaching powers to exclude, deport and detain persons without reference to the courts or to any special tribunals. In particular the safeguards which were introduced into Hong Kong law as a result of a circular despatch in the thirties (following the recommendations of an official committee) to protect British subjects against arbitrary deportation would be scrapped. In changes made by the bill manifest the sort of arbitrary and authoritarian tendency that seems to characterise the official mind in Hong Kong.
2.
Whether or not it is desirable for the draft bill to be enacted seems to me a question of policy for your Department. Perhaps your first step should be to ask the Governor for his reasons for thinking that the bill is necessary or desirable.
Mr Clifton (H4U.S.) Mr. Strothy NAT. 4).
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A.R.R.
(A. R. Rushford) (K 188 MA 118) 2 November, 1970
38711
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