243
knowledge of the Viceroy. In spite of this assurance I considered it desirable to instruct the Transvaal Emigration Agent on October 6th. to take special measures to secure that no persons coming into Hongkong from Wuchow should be permitted to leave this Colony as emigrants for South Africa except of their own free will and also to impress on the Consul-General on October 10th. the desire of this Government that under no circumstances whatever should any person be permitted to emigrate who has been brought to Wuchow as a prisoner under a Military Guard or in chains or is supposed to be a criminal or rebel or is suspected of having been released from Gaol on condition that he expressed his willingness to proceed as an emigrant to South Africa.
+
On the 24th. October the Transvaal migration Agent reported as the result of enquiries he had made among the intending emigrants at the depôt at Lai-chi-kok that out of about 150 that had arrived there from Wuchow 51 were criminals liberated from various district gaols on the condition that they should represent themselves at the Wuchow Agency as willing emigrants and should engage to proceed to South Africa. Out of the 51 ten had arrived at Hongkong from Wuchow as recently as the 23rd, instant. On account of this information I caused the letter, of which a copy is annexed, to be addressed on the 29th. instant to the Consul-General.
Enclosure 10
6th October, 19min
No 3601,
4.
As regards migration via Canton I would recall that at the date of my Despatch of the 19th. September correspondence was proceeding between the Transvaal migration Agent, the Consul-General at Canton and the Hongkong Government with regard to the charges of illicit recruiting brought by the Viceroy against Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, to the release of 5 recruiters of that firm's who had been imprisoned on this charge, and to the general question of the admissibility
243
knowledge of the Viceroy. In spite of this assurance I consi-
dered it desirable to instruct the Transvaal Emigration Agent
on October 6th. to take special measures to secure that no "persons coming into Hongkong from Wuchow should be permitted "to leave this Colony as emigrants for South Africa except "of their own free will' and also to impress on the Consul-
General on October 10th. the desire of this Goverment
'that under no circumstances whatever should any person be *permitted to emigrate who has been brought to Wuchow as a *prisoner under a Military Guard or in chains or is supposed
to be a criminal or rebel or is suspected of having been *released from Gaol on condition that he expressed his willing- 'ness to proceed as an emigrant to South Africa'.
+
On the 24th. October the Transvaal migra-
tion Agent reported as the result of enquiries he had made
among the intending emigrants at the depôt at Lai-chi-kok
that out of about 150 that had arrived there from Wuchow 51
were criminals liberated from various district gaols on the
condition that they should represent themselves at the Wuchow
Agency as willing emigrants and should engage to proceed to
South Africa. Out of the 51 ten had arrived at Hongkong from
Wuchow as recently as the 23rd, instant. On account of this
information I caused the letter, of which a copy is annexed, t
to
be addressed on the 29th. instant to the Consul-General.
Enclosure 10
goth October, 19min
Loe 3601,
4.
As regards migration via Canton I would
recall that at the date of my Despatch of the 19th. September
correspondence was proceeding between the Transvel migration
Agent, the Consul-General at Canton and the Hongkong Govern-
ment with remand to the charges of illicit recruiting brought
by the Viceroy against Messrs. Butterfield and Swire, to the
release of 5 recruiters of that firm's who had been imprison-
ed on this charge, and to the general question of the admis-
-sibility
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