CO129-587-15 Excess Population Reduction Committee Report- Chinese Immigration Bill 1-10-1940 - 6-1-1941 — Page 29

(F 5193/43/10)

Dear Gent,

FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.

26th November, 1940.

32.29

32014

ispero

At an interview with Sir Horace Seymour on the 8th November, the Chinese Ambassador reverted to the question of the proposed restrictions on immigration into Hong Kong. He said that he had had a talk on the subject with Sir Geoffrey Northcote, who is shortly returning to Hong Kong, and asked whether action could not be suspended until the latter had arrived back in the Colony.

2. Sir Horace Seymour informed Dr. Quo that having examined the report out of which these proposals had arisen, he was greatly impressed by the fact that the population of the new territories was rapidly increasing, and that in the absence of proper accommodation, conditions under which these immigrants were living were very bad, and he also pointed out that Hong Kong in present circumstances had to take some obvious precautions against over-crowding. He undertook, however, to enquire whether it would be possible to delay action on the new Bill until the Governor had returned to his post.

3. This letter is in fulfilment of that undertaking. But we do no more than make the enquiry, since we feel that it is for you to judge whether the Bill should be delayed pending the Governor's return.

If you decide against delay we shall have no objection, in view of the urgency of the Bill as a defence measure, on the understanding that the O. AG. will refer home before

G. E. J. Gent, Esq., D.S.O., 0.B.E.

finally/