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Wednesday, July 21, 1971
and children of belongers.
Included also was a smaller group who had,
whilst in Hong Kong, had the status of British subject conferred specially
on them by registration with the consent of the Secretary of State.
The Acting Attorney General emphasised there had been no change
in the law in respect of the right of a belonger to come in and to stay
here as long he liked, nor in respect of restrictions on entry applicable
This also applied to British subjects who could not claim
to immigrants.
to be belongers.
Mr. Sneath said no right to enter Hong Kong was being taken away
as no such right existed in the law today except for the belonger.
Special Standing
The Attorney General said there was one group of immigrants who
would be accorded a special standing. This group consisted of those
citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who had been ordinarily resident
here for at least ten years.
"They, like all other immigrants, have no right to enter Hong Kong;
but once in, they may stay free of all conditions of stay which may be imposed
on other immigrants and also without risk of deportation," Mr. Sneath said.
"Thus, though such persons' stay in Hong Kong may be limited under
the present power to impose conditions on entry; that limitation falls
away once he has achieved ten years' residence.
In respect of all other immigrants this power to limit stay would
continue to be exercisable, and the Bill would vest in the Governor a new
power which would enable him to curtail the period of stay originally granted."
/Mr. Sneath