C O P Y.
To
N.2. B:
C. O.
24851
RECO
REG 14 JUL 04
18, Bank Buildings,
Hongkong, 23rd December, 1908.
The Honourable
The Acting Colonial Secretary.
«sic,
70
咩
In reply to your Memorandum of the 16th instant, I have had a conference with the Members of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce upon the subject of The Undesirable Persons Introduction Bill, and they are unanimously of the opinion, an opinion which I fully share with them, that there is no necessity for the proposed legislation, inasmuch as every responsible Government assumes the care and charge of lunatics and pays for the same out of the public revenue.
As regards lepers, it is practically impossible, except at prohibitive expense (as pointed out by me in my letter to the Hon. Attorney-General of the 16th October, of which I enclose a copy) to exercise medical supervision over Chinese passengers embarking at Canton for Hongkong, and the Government was unwilling to undertake such medical supervision even in connection with so important a matter as attempting to keep plague out of this Colony. I would also point out that, if lepers are prevented from coming into Hongkong direct by steamer, they will come down from Canton to Hongkong by junk, landing either at Lai Chi Kok or on the South or West of the Island of Hongkong.
For the above reasons, I shall feel bound to oppose the Bill in toto.
Moreover, in its details, it is very objectionable