CO129-624-8 Immigration control- expulsion of undesirables 1-8-1949 - 31-1-1951 — Page 36

IDENTIAL.

(FC10112/50)

FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.,

17th June, 1950.

don't

34

1

Dear Hall,

As you requested in your letter 54064/3

of the 20th May, we have consulted Hutchison about the proposal of the Governor of Hong Kong to take action under the Expulsion of Undesirables Ordinance.

2.

We have now received his reply, which is unenthusiastic to say the least, and I feel bound to say that we are in general agreement with him. You will remember that when we first learned of the promulgation of the Ordinance, Coates wrote to you (F19088/16210/10) on the 25th January, expressing our misgivings and our surprise that the powers conferred by the Ordinance had not been kept in reserve in draft form, unknown to the public, ready for promulgation in the event of a state of emergency.

Coates also pointed

out that a good deal of play might be made with the Ordinance by hostile propagandists, who would find it easy to talk of arbitrary arrests, concentration camps etc.

3.

I am afraid that we find it difficult to agree with the Governor that "the emergency is virtually upon us" and that application of the Ordinance is "an essential corollary to the new immigration control measures". We fully appreciate that Hong Kong is greatly over-crowded (although (Ynt. Appreciatio

Appreciate it would appear from Hong Kong telegram No. 650

that departures now considerably exceed arrivals) and that in consequence the problems which the

H.P. Hall Esq., M.B.E.,

Colonial Office.

/Governor