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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, AUGUST 30, 1940.
(2) If the former, was the order in terms that only British women and
children of pure Europeau descent should be evacuated?
(3) If the answer to (2) is in the affirmative, did Government draw the
attention of the Home Government to the following:
(a) that there is in the Colony a large number of British women
and children who are not of pure European descent?
(b) the consequent discrimination involved in the said order?
(4) If the answer to (1) is that the said evacuation was directed by the Hong Kong Government, will Government state its reasons for limiting it as indicated in (2)?
(5) Is it not a fact that
(a) before September, 1939, a scheme had been drawn up by a Com- mittee appointed by Government, which scheme provided for the evacuation inter alia of women and children who are British subjects?
(b) that the said Committee recommended selective evacuation" if the available accommodation fell short of requirements and sug- gested further that a reasonable basis for determining the order of selection would be:
(1) Naval and Naval Volunteer families;
(ii) Military, R.A.F. and H.K.V.D.C. families;
(iii) Civilian families.
(c) that those to whom the operation of the scheme was entrusted were unequivocally informed that, upon an evacuation, and irrespective of the question of accommodation, the said order of selection or precedence would be observed?
(d) that before September, 1939, personnel had been recruited for the purpose of putting the scheme into operation when the occasion arose?
(e) that the said scheme was designed to operate at short notice?
(f) that as regards the recent evacuation there was no question of short
notice?
(6) If the answers to (5) (a) and (b) are in the affirmative will Government state why the said scheme and order of precedence were abandoned in favour of the evacuation as in fact carried out ?
(7) Who is to bear the cost of the recent evacuation?
(8) Are wives and families of members of the H.K.V.D.C. who are not of
pure European descent to be evacuated?
(9) If so, when?
(10) If not, why not?
(11) Are British women and children who are not of pure European descent
to be evacuated?
(12) If so, when?
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