CO129-591-9 Policy directives 15-1-1945 - 15-1-1945 — Page 50

6.

HONG KONG

QIVIL AFFAIRS POLICY DIRECTIVES

IMMIGRATION CONTROL

54132.

Second Draft

14/4/44.

1. The traditional policy of Hong Kong has always been

to encourage the free influx of Chinese, and for many years the

barometer of prosperity was felt to be the number of full and empty

tenements in the Colony. The chief inducements were law and order,

sanctity of contracts, better (if rather more expensive) social

services and the asylum for political refugees ensured by the terms

of the extradition treaties.

2.

Apart from this there was a very large daily traffic of

shoppers from a considerable area of South China, particularly in

the form of "travelling traders", who each executed commissions (including to some extent banking and foreign exchange transactions)

on behalf of the inhabitants of a village or a district.

a

contributed materially to the Colony's prosperity.

This

3. As the Colony has no natural resources whatever (unless a fine harbour can be so included) it must chiefly depend, as in the

past, on its asset of goodwill. It will be the object, as soon as

circumstancès permit, to restore that free access on which the Japanese during their occupation have put drastic restrictions.

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Although the long-term objective of unfettered ingress and egress must be kept in view, the provision of relief supplies in the Colony may be expected on first re-occupation to attract a very

large influx of Chinese; and it will be necessary to aim at the

restriction of this influx to those who are needed for the genuine

restoration of trade and industry and for the prosecution of the

war effort.

5. At the earliest stage the land frontier should be picketed

and passage allowed at only one point, where a staff will be

required to examine the documentary evidence of genuine Hong Kong

residence produced by each intending immigrant. As soon as river-

boats start running a similar investigation service should be

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