XN000022-1985-12-04 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985

HE POINTED OUT THAT THEY FOUGHT IN DEFENCE OF HONG KONG AND IN OTHER THEATRES OF WAR FOR KING AND COUNTRY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

+BRITAIN AND HONG KONG OWE THEM A DEBT OF GRATITUDE WHICH MUST BE HONOURED.

HE SAID HE RECKONED THE IR NUMBER WAS ABOUT 400 AND WAS DWINDLING.

+THEY FOUGHT IN DEFENCE OF A SYSTEM WHICH WILL RUN ITS COURSE IN HONG KONG IN 12 YEARS.

+BRITAIN MUST THEREFORE OFFER THEM A HOME. WILL DO,+ HE STRESSED.

NOTHING LESS

MR SWAINE SAID THE WAY TO DO SO WAS PROVIDED BY THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT OF 1981 ITSELF.

UNDER SECTION 4 THE HOME SECRETARY HAD DISCRETION TO REGISTER A HONG KONG BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY CITIZEN AS

A BRITISH CITIZEN AND TO WAIVE THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS IF

HE HE HAD BEEN IN CROWN SERVICE, INCLUDING MILITARY SERVICES, OBSERVED.

+1 APPEAL TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT IT WILL SYMPATHETICALLY CONSIDER ALL SUCH APPLICATIONS MADE BY OUR EX-SERVICEMEN, HE URGED,

NEW PASSPORT MUST STATE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HK

****

THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT WOULD ONLY BE ACCEPTABLE IF THE ENDORSEMENT COULD REMOVE ALL DOUBTS OF IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES REGARDING THE RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG OF SUCH PASSPORT HOLDERS WITHOUT THE NEED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE DRAFT HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986.

RECALLING A SPEECH BY THE THEN BRITISH MINISTER OF STATE MR RICHARD LUCE, DURING THE DEBATE OF THE HONG KONG BILL IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, DR HO SAID THERE WAS A CLEAR UNDERTAKING BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

/HE SAID