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I have not seen the Minutes or the meeting on the 12th February or the Food Committee ole the Cabinet which I understand are with Mr. T. W. Davis, but
Mr. Morris conrirms that the question or rice supplies for Hong Kong was raised and that the Colonial Office and War Office were asked to look into the question of whether future allocations could not be reduced if the entry of Chinese into the Colony were checked.
The attached is a draft telegram to the Commander-in-Chief which the War Office have sent over 1or our concurrence. It should I think be expanded and amended so as to cover the following points:-
(a) The telegram should include a more detailed
explanation of the circumstances that require us to tell the C.in C. that it may be necessary to reduce the supplies of food allocated to him.
recognition
(b) There should be a speréciation of the
difficulties both practical and political which exist in checking the entry of Chinese into Hong Kong.
(c) The telegram should make it clear that the
proposal is aimed at reducing the number of all immigrants to Hong Kong and not merely the Chinese. In practice any restrictions that could be enforced would operate mainly against the Chinese but it is, I think, of the utmost importance that there should be no appearance of racial discrimination.
With regard to (b) the difficulties of enforcing immigration control are both practical and political. With regard to the latter there has been constant and increasing pressure from the Chinese Government since the end of the war with Japan for lifting of restrictions against the return or overseas Chinese to Far Eastern territories. In the case of Hong Kong all restrictions on the entry to the Colony of Chinese nationals from China and Macau were lifted on the 15th November 1945. In his telegram reporting this decision the Commander-in-Chief said:
"Immigration restrictions. against Chinese were
lifted today after discussion with Canton Authorities in return for offer of help with food supplies. In effect we cancelled restrictions we could not enforce and Canton offered food she does not possess. Lack of communications and transport and unsettled conditions in south Kwangtung will continue for the present to limit imlow or population."
The traditional policy or Hong Kong has always been to encourage the free influx of Chinese. The inducements of law, order and security are not likely to be less under post-war conditions. It was realised however that the attraction of relief supplies might be expected to result in a very large influx and that it would be necessary at first to restrict the entry of Chinese. In practice however it appears that due to shortage of police and lack of machinery for control, the Military Administration found it impossible to establish any erfective restrictions. Since the nominal restrictions
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