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469 5038
E 6339
91107
At an interview with Sir H. Seymour on 8th November
the Chinese Ambassador reverted to the question of the pro-
posed restrictions on immigration into Hongkong. He said
that he had had a talk on the subject with the Governor, Sir
G. Northcote, who is shortly returning to Hongkong and asked
whether action could not be suspended until Sir G. Northcote
had arrived back in the Colony.
Sir H. Seymour informed Dr. Quo that having exam-
ined the report out of which these proposals had arisen he
was greatly impressed by the fact that the population of the
New Territories was increasing at the rate of some 300 per-
sons a day and that, in the absence of proper accommodation
for such a huge influx the conditions under which these
immigrants were living were very bad. He also pointed out
that Hongkong in present circumstances had to take some
obvious precautions against over-crowding. He undertook
however to enquire of the Colonial Office whether it would
be possible to delay action in the matter of the new Bill
until the Governor had returned to his post.
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