CO129-589-18 Complaints against evacuation scheme 23-11-1940 - 24-10-1941 — Page 11

COPY.

EVACUATION REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE.

K.P.0.Box,No.1628

Enal. Mo.!

20th September, 1941.

The Honourable

Sir,

The Colonial Secretary.

At a General Meeting of persons whose wives and children

have been evacuated from the Colony of Hongkong under the

Evacuation Scheme and who are now unable to return to the Colony

the following resolution was passed unanimously.

"We demand that Government institute a public enquiry

into the working of the Evacuation Scheme which was

enforced from the 1st July 1940 until suddenly rescinded.

Also who were the persons responsible for the working

of the Scheme and the subsequent fiasco caused thereby

and that those responsible for the issuance of the

Order of exemption certificates which permitted dis-

crimination be publicly examined".

That resolution has been passed on to my Committee in order

that such demand may be put before Government. I am therefore

instructed by my Committee to request that Government institute a public enquiry to enquire into and report on the institution

and administration of the Scheme in pursuance of which the evacua-

tion of the wives and children of Hongkong Residents from Hongkong

was enforced and which commenced on the 1st July 1940 with a view

to ascertaining:

(a) Which person or persons were responsible for the in-

stitution of the Scheme.

(b) Which person or persons were responsible for its

administration.

(c) Whether exemption from the operation of the Scheme was

granted to any person or persons prior to the 1st July,

1940.

(a) Whether the Scheme was administered fairly and

impartially.