CO129-587-15 Excess Population Reduction Committee Report- Chinese Immigration Bill 1-10-1940 - 6-1-1941 — Page 48

Cony

22 Ryder Street,

S.W.1.

September 29 th 1940.

9 48

X

My dear Gent,

I enclose a few rough notes of my reasons for thinking that the scheme suggested in paragraph 8 (1) - (3) of the report of the Hong Kong Committee on Excess Population Reduction would be unworkable and, secondly, that an attempt to institute it would injure the Colony's interests both economically and politically, especially as regards the Chinese.

In the absence of any indication of the machinery which the Committee had in mind it is difficult to form a precise view of the feasibility of the main scheme, but I urge most strongly that the 0.A.G. be told not to proceed with it until (a) that machinery has been described to and approved by the Secretary of State and the cost estimated, and (b) the Ambassador has been consulted upon probable Chinese reactions. The extent to which

Hong Kong is being of service to Chungking will, no doubt, be borne in mind.

The only reason for these proposals is that they are desirable from the point of view of the defence of Hong Kong. This scheme looks to me like one chimera born of another.

Yours very sincerely,

(sgd.) G.A.SNorthcote.