CO129-604-5 Immigration- control over entry from China 4-3-1948 - 6-1-1949 — Page 18

8

54064/48.

Colonial office,

The Church House,

Great Smith street,

B. W. 1.

6th December, 1948.

6 DC. 1949

Please refer to Scott's letter, F.14333/154/10

e letter, F. 14:333/154/10 of 22nd October 1948, about the alleged right Chinese to enter Hong Kong.

I think we are now agreed that the Chinese have, in fact, no right, prescriptive or otherwise, to enter or settle in Hong Kong.

So far as the political considerations mentioned in the last paragraph of scott's letter are concerned, you are, of course, aware that restrictions on the entry of Chinese from countries other than China have already been instituted. Such measures were mantioned in paragraph 2 of Hong Kong's Political Report for the fortnight ended 26th July, 198, and again, more recently, in their secret telegram No, 1010 of the 6th November, 1948, about the Parlimentary question put down by Mr.Fitzroy Maclean.

I have written to MacDougall on this subject and said that, in view of the political considerations, we should wish, if circumstances permit, to have an opportunity of consulting with you before a decision is taken to introduce any further restrictions upon the entry of chinese to Hong Kong.

P.D. COATES,ESQ

(W.I.J. Wallace.)