CO129-566-16 Granting of permits for Hong Kong Chinese to work in Britain 23-2-1938 - 3-2-1939 — Page 16

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by the Imperial Authorities, applied equally in all British

possessions and not only in Hong Kong. It is noteworthy that

other parts of the Empire, e.g. Australia and South Africa,

themselves take powers to restrict the immigration of British

subjects of Chinese race.

5. In point of fact there is no record that any British

subject of Chinese race belonging to the labouring classes has

applied or been granted a travel document other than a passport

to enable him to proceed to the United Kingdom, and during the

past five years passports have been issued to only fifty seven

Hong Kong born Chinese, other than students, for travel to the

United Kingdom, though during the same period passports have been issued to 112 other Hong Kong born Chinese (other than students) for travel to the British Empire generally and some of the se latter may possibly have proceeded to the United Kingdom. In view of the comparatively high cost of the journey to England it

is not anticipated that these numbers would be greatly added to

by would-be emigrants of the laundryman class.

6.

In the past a form of travel certificate has been used

and I enclose a copy for your information, from which it will be

seen that the approval of the Home Government was necessary before the issue of such a document. This form is no longer in

use.

The present system is that this Government issues passports to persons of the student class and to persons of good standing, but laundrymen and such persons are required to obtain permission from the Home Government before passports can be issued. No passports have been issued this year to such persons.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble servant,

fo And. Withot рак

Governor.