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16.7.41
To take the side issue of compulsory
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inoculation against cholera first, the civil medical)
and the military authorities are both agreed that compulsory inoculation would not necessarily be protective and would involve considerable expense and accordingly do not support the proposal. I take it that these views can be accepted.
To turn to the main issue
what action is
to be taken against Mrs. Black and the other 8 women who have entered the Colony in transit and refused to leave, it will be seen that the Governor is still of the opinion that the wisest course is to refrain from action against the women concerned despite what is described in (1) as a "more than usually grave case of defiance of the law". The Governor in his decision appears to be actuated mainly by the fact that the agitation against the evacuation and in particular against the alleged discrimination shown in putting it into effect has been temporarily allayed and that action against Mrs. Black and her fellows would merely stir up the controversy once again. The G.0.C. does not accept these views and presses for action against - Mrs. Black and the rest and considers that refusal by
the Government to move against them has brought discredit on it.
It may be convenient at this point to give a general summary of the position of the British European women in Hong Kong as affected by the evacuation scheme. They may be roughly divided into the following categories:-
1. Those who accepted the position and left the
Colony for Australia or elsewhere.
2. Those who were exempted from evacuation on the
grounds that their services were essential to its defence.
3. Those who were exempted from evacuation or
allowed to return on the grounds that they were dependent on business in Hong Kong for their livelihood - See (82) and (109) on 740 file, Part I.
4. Those who were subsequently admitted by Govt. to
carry out work under the Govt. The case of Mrs. Mathias, Tax Assessor, is quoted.
5. Those who refused to comply with the evacuation
order and whom it was decided it was not worth while on military grounds to remove - See (231) a on /40 file.
6. Those who returned to the Colony on transit visas
like Mrs. Black and then refused to leave again. Their numbers are small and in Thanxelves would no malivary ambaranven
The latter group are directly concerned in the present issue and the Governor is not in favour of proceeding against them. Against this course of action it can be said that they have defied the law, that they have broken their word, and that to leave them in the Colony will lead to another case of discrimination.
Against this can be set the Governor's view that the case of these women has so far attracted no attention, to proceed against them would arouse controversy and revive the recriminations about discrimination which have been temporarily allayed. On the whole, to accept the Governor's view
seems
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