CO129-587-15 Excess Population Reduction Committee Report- Chinese Immigration Bill 1-10-1940 - 6-1-1941 — Page 55

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such certificates who have left the Colony temporarily before the new legislation comes into effect provision might be made for the issue of a certain number of such certificates, on proper identification, at the points of entry; but those bona fide residents who leave for temporary purposes after the legislation comes into effect will be expected to obtain their certificates or entry passes before they leave. The special entry passes would however generally be issued at the point of entry.

(3) The extension to all vessels, including junks, of the obligation imposed by section 6 of the Immigration and Passports Ordinance No. 8 of 1934 to return passengers whose entry is refused.

(4) An increased resort by the police and magistrates to the powers conferred by section 24A of the Vagrancy Ordinance, as enacted by Ordinance No. 41 of 1939 under which magistrates may make expulsion orders in certain cases. In the opinion of the Committee a mere claim, unsupported by reasonably credible independent evidence, of seven years or more residence does not amount to the proof of such residence required by the section; but if the magistrates hold otherwise the section should be amended accordingly.

(5) An increased resort by Courts and Magistrates to section 8 of the Deportation of Aliens Ordinance, No. 39 of 1935, under which the courts or magistrates may recommend deportation of convicted aliens either in addition to or in lieu of sentence. Such resort is recommend- ed especially in the cases of larceny, malicious damage, immoral solicitation and traffic in narcotics. The Committee consider that over congestion of population is a prime factor in such offences and, especial- ly, that the real keepers of heroin and opium divans are encouraged to avoid detection by drawing on an unlimited supply of refugee destitutes to act as dummy keepers.

(6) Refugees fleeing from actual bombings or hostilities just across the Colony's frontiers should be allowed to come to specified open areas within the frontiers and to stay there whilst the bombings or hostilities are in progress; but to be sent back as soon as they cease. Such bombings and hostilities have often lasted for a few hours or days with. long intervals between.

(7) All existing refugee camps and squatter settlements should be removed from the Island of Hong Kong and from Kowloon and New Kowloon and transferred to the North of the main defence line in the Kowloon Hills. This may involve a considerable increase in the size of the Refugee Camp at Kam Tin and even the conversion of the uncompleted military aerodrome site in that neighbourhood into an area temporarily crowded with refugee huts but the Committee is assured by its service members that the presence of a refugee encampment over that area is preferable to the retention of refugee camps and squatter settlements on the Island and on the mainland south of the principal range of hills and that the removal of the latter is essential for reasons of defence.

(8) Revision of sentences of prisoners whose deportation has already been ordered on release from prison, with a view to reduction of over-crowding in the gaols.

(9) More stringent enforcement of the over-crowding provisions in Ordin- ances dealing with Sanitation and Public Health. Before steps are actually taken against offenders the Committee visualize that such offen- ders should be given a reasonable warning, so that permanent residents may have the opportunity to find other accommodation and refugees may be encouraged and induced to leave Hong Kong.

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