CO129-526-4 Deportation of Chinese political refugees from Hong Kong 9-12-1929 - 11-6-1930 — Page 15

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definitely unfriendly, despite all protestations to

the contrary.

4. As the matter has been the subject of much

official correspondence and has necessitated much

personal argument at Hongkong, I will now briefly

state my personal impression that no amount of

further argument locally will alter the position.

The Hongkong Government consides itself bond

strictly by the Colonial extradition deportation laws,

and requires that cause must be duly proved in Court

challenge by a writ of nabeas corpu 3. So far this

has operated as an effectual bar to summery deportation

orders. It is true that the outlawed General L

Tsung-jen was induced to leave Hongkong on my re-

presentations, but only after some months of argument

and after I had expressed my readiness, if called

upon, to state in Court that I considered that ex-

Marshal Li's continued presence in Họngkong was

endangering the peaceful and friendly relations

between Canton and Hongkong. General Asü Ching-t'ang

after much delay took a strong hint and left for

Japan during the summer, but returned to reside in

Hongkong before leaving to take the field in Iwangsi

against Canton.

5. I enclose copy of an extract from a recent

Hongkong newspaper which summarizes the draft of a

Bill to amend the Deportation Ordinance of 1917,

together with a copy of that B111, which if passed

should confer sufficient powers on the Governor-in-

Council to deal with such situations. That would be

a great advance. In view, however, of the extremely

casuistic legal view which I have found obtains in

the Colonial