5.
Corps.... To quote examples seems almost invidious, but I should like to place on record the superb gallantry of No.3 (Eurasian) Company at Wong Nei Chong Gap....
Accordingly, we pray for the inclusion of a clause in the Bill to permit any Hong Kong British Dependent Territory Citizen who has no other Third Country Citizenship ΟΙ Nationality and who is directly descended from a person who
was
a. born in the United Kingdom; or
b. naturalised in the United Kingdom; or
c. settled and had died in the United Kingdom,
to be registrable as a British Citizen.
6. Although provision for the registration of births in Hong Kong has existed since 1870, it is an unfortunate fact that such registrations were by no means universal. Furthermore, several families within Our community trace their ancestry of mixed parentage through births in Hong Kong between 1841 and 1870. The loss of personal and official records during the Japanese Occupation add further to
to the problem. Thus it will be essential for any such registration as a British Citizen to be recommended to the Secretary of State by the Governor, SO that he can take into account whatever evidence and local knowledge which may be available. The inclusion of 5 c. above is also intended to ease the difficulty of tracing details of births or naturalisations in certain cases.
7.
small
-
families
Because the numbers involved under this proposal are
we repeat our estimate of 1000
1000 individuals, not we further suggest that this provision should not be brought within the figure of 50,000 in Clause 1(1) of the Bill. Of course, we understand that a ceiling of 1000 may be set administratively for such registrations.
8.
While we have no
representative capacity in regard to the claims of the war widows as a group, we are confident that the inclusion of a clause as proposed by us will also benefit a proportion of
of them: it would be strange if this wexe not S0 having regard to General Maltby's
Maltby's despatch. Furthermore, we can identify not less than five such widows among our paid up and formal membership.
9. If you consider it desirable, a small delegation of our members stand ready to come to London at short notice to answer any questions you may have.
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E P Ho President