CO882-(8-9) — Page 82

Eastern No. 105.

Confidential.

Printed for the use of the Cabinet.

Coolie Emigration from Hong Kong and Ching Ports.

I submit the following Memorandum and a Minute by Mr. Churchill on the above subject for the consideration of the Cabinet.

26/10/1908.

1000 D 4 26379

Under the provisions of an Ordinance (No. 1 of 1889) passed by the Hong Kong Legislature, under the powers given by the Chinese Passen gers Act of 1855, no vemel carrying more than twenty Asiatic passengers may clear from Hong Kong, and no British vessel in the like case may clear from a port in China or within 100 miles- of the Chinese ooust, on a voyage of more than seven days' duration, without a licence from the Governor of Hong Kong or from the Emigration Officer (L.s., the British Consul) at the port of departure.

The British Consul may not issue a licence to a vessel carrying coolies under contract and the Governor of Hong Kong may not issue a licence in such a case unless the contracts are for servios in a British possession.

[The Governor of Hong Kong has apparently been advised that the law prohibits him from issuing a licence to a vessel carrying contest coolies to a foreign country. It is by no mean, clear that this view in correct, but the point is not of practical importance, sa the Governor in any case forbidden by long-standing instrno- tions from the Secretary of State to issue licences to such vessels.]

The history of the question goes back to early days of the Colony of Hong Kong. the late 'forties and early 'fiftimns_there_was large traffic in contract labourers from Chinese ports to California, Australia, Cuba, various South American States, British Guziana, and the British West Indies.

The trafic, even in British vessels, was unregulated, as the existing Passenger Autu not cover the case of vesela sailing from in China to foreign countries, and it gave grent abuses, especially in the casa al emis to Chili and Para.

50 GTS W

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Juference :—

C.O. 882

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