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to a dual nationality may justly and reasonably prefer for the good offices of British Consuls, and for British protection.
(a).
So far as Hongkong is concerned the more study I have given to tais question the more has the conclusion been forced upon me that in order to arrive at a practical and workable solution the questions of residence, of the "animus manendi", and of domicile, must be accorded a weight even predominant over that of birth or theoretical legal status, and I do not think that a solution based on these lines need be otherwise than 'adaptable to the Anglo-Chinese of other Colonies.
5.
With these preliminary remarks I pass to
t
F
the detailed examination of the various classes of Anglo- -Chinese referred to:-
i.
Persons of Chinese race naturalized as
British subjects in Hongkong: -
The Attorney-General is of opinion that until such persons have complied with the Chinese Nation- -ality Laws they have a dual nationality. It could hardly be argued that they could claim British protection against China their country of origin, unless they had taken all the steps laid down by Chinese law to divest themselves of Chinese nationality. If they have divested themselves of Chinese nationality in accordance with the new Chinese law, their relations to China are dealt with in it.
ii.
Hongkong (Class A):-
The children of such persons born in
I agree with Mr. Hurst that these
should be regarded as British subjects but subject to the
proviso, (a) that they have not resided in China (outside
a Treaty Port) for any considerable period: (b) that
they were born subsequent to the naturalization of the father: and (c) that they do not claim the benefits of British nationality concurrently with those of Chinese nationality while in China. The Attorney-Ceneral holds
that