CO129-587-15 Excess Population Reduction Committee Report- Chinese Immigration Bill 1-10-1940 - 6-1-1941 — Page 22

Under-Secretary of State.

Colonial Office

F. 5193/177/10.

Decypher.

•

RECEIVED 10DEC 1940 CONFIDENTIAL

With Bar

Under beobulary

for Foreign Affairs

7 DEC 1910

40

2.2

DEPARTMENTAL NO. 2.

4th December, 1940. 4th December, 1940.

5th December, 1940.

Sir A. Clark Kerr, (Chungking).

D.

8.00 p.m.

R.

1.45 p.m.

No. 248.

gggggggg

35

Addressed to Hong Kong telegram No. 128 December 4th.

Your telegram No. 769 to the Colonial Office.

The Chinese Government's objections were, I think, based partly on a vague and deep seated mistrust of the phrase "Immigration Control" and partly on the fears that Hong Kong's usefulness to their war effort might be impaired by the proposed measures, the nature of which they had no precise knowledge.

Now that I have communicated to them the text of the bill with an explanation on the lines of your telegram No. 170 (not to London) I think their doubts will be set at rest, But, as 22 I said in my telegram No. 161 to the Foreign Office, much will

depend on the efficient and sympathetic administration of the

measures.

Repeated to Foreign Office.