I
J.
COPY.
Dear Petrie,
Condosure 2.
332
Government House,
Hongkong, 17th. April,
1917.
і
I enclose for your information a copy of a
Bill which is being prepared for the registration of Indian
Watchmen.
You will observe that it contains no
provision for the repatriation of dismissed or undesirable
watorren. The Indian Government would not consent to any
general repatriation. But under other powere taken in connect-
ion with the war, we have at present the power of repatriating
individuals whose presence in the Colony is undesirable.
The question now arises whether the Bill
as it stands is worth enacting. Indian watchmen who have lost
their employment but against whom there are not sufficient
grounds for deportation would either become destitute in thạ
Colony or more probably would drift away to the coast ports of
China or elsewhere in search of employment. Away from the
Colony they might be a greater source of danger than they would
be here except for the fact that save at Tientsin there would
be no Indian troops for them to contaminate.
As far as Hongkong is concerned the Bill
as it stands would probably be useful; its effect would
probably be the gradual elimination of the employment of Indian
watchmen on the ground of expense alone but its effect in
shifting Indians from the Colony might be very undesirable.
In these circumstances I shall bs flad of
your advice as to whether the Bill should be proceeded with cr
not.
Youre eincerely,
(sd.) F. H. May
!
1