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Secretariat 16/323 VINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date 8 May, 1950.
No. 507 CONFIDENTIAL.
13.
436.
Your confidential despatch No. 64 of 15th March, 1950, and your confidential telegram saving No. 322
(4) of 28th March, 1950.
12 MAY 20 REGISTR
1.
Expulsion of Undesirables Ordinance, 1949.
I note the importance which you attach to the fact that this legislation should be reserved for use in an emergency and not employed as a convenient method of effecting deportation. I share this view subject to what is said below.
2.
When this Ordinance was introduced, there seemed every likelihood that it would need to be put into immediate operation. Action was, however, deferred for two main reasons; one being that following the fall of Canton the situation in Hong Kong did not at once appear to be as serious as had been expected, and the other that the only camp which would have made possible action on a large scale had to be set aside to meet the needs of the reinforced garrison.
3.
Since last autumn, as you are aware from other correspondence in which I have reported the continued alarming increase in population and the consequent intensification of the squatter problem, the situation has gradually deteriorated. Unofficial estimates place the population at well over two million; weekly returns of railway passengers show a continual excess of inward over outward passengers consequent upon the worsening of conditions in Canton and Kwangtung generally. The number of potential criminals and destitutes who have gained admission to the Colony has seriously increased and there is positive evidence that, while the Chinese authorities do what they can to prevent their able-bodied nationals from leaving China, they place no obstacles whatever in the way of the infirm, destitutes and other undesirables who wish to enter this Colony.
4.
There is every reason for thinking that, in the absence of positive preventive measures on our part, the situation will deteriorate still further in the coming months. The plain fact is, therefore, that the emergency to which I have referred in paragraph 2 above is virtually upon us.
5.
As you are aware, steps have recently been taken to remove the exclusion from the Immigrants Control Ordinance formerly enjoyed by Chinese entering from the mainland of China or from Macao. This measure gives the Police power to control the influx of Chinese from these areas but it is not to be supposed that effective control
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can, in fact,
in fact, be imposed for some time to come, and then only at considerable additional cost in material and personnel and at the risk of some economic disruption. position is, therefore, that we now have the means whereby unrestricted entry from the mainland and from Macao can be limited. There is no doubt, however, that unauthorised entry will continue and that the incentive to evade controls will increase proportionately with the deterioration of
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