TNAG-0318-FCO40-354-Legislation-for-immigration-and-deportation-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 151

HK

THE SCOTSMAN

Cutting dated

22 L 1971

19

2

RECEVED IN REGISTRY No.51 25 JUL 1971

HALL 18/10

Kong Kong to restrict British immigrants

HONG KONG, Wednesday.- The Hong Kong Government today introduced in the Legis- lative Council a controversial which will immigration Bill

cancel the provilege of British passport - holders to enter this colony without a visa and stay as long as they please.

The acting Attorney-General, Mr G. R. Sneath, told the coun- cil that over the past decade Britain had tightened rules concerning entry and stay of Hong Kong and other Common- wealth citizens.

“We should be failing in our duty to ourselves if we did our lawy not see to it that

enabled Hong Kong to have a similar measure of protection," he said.

**

Under the proposed law, only those who are "belongers Hong Kong citizens by birth or naturalisation can enter this British colony without a visa and stay as long as they want. DEPORTATION

All others except British Commonwealth citizens resident in Hong Kong for ten years

to normal will be subject immigration controls.

The Bill also widens the Government's powers to deport illegal immigrants or undesir able aliens. It will no longer be necessary to obtain a con- viction against an immigrant before deporting him.

Any immigrant, whether a British subject or an alien, can be deported if he is found guilty of any offence punish- able by imprisonment or if his deportation is deemed ducive to the public good."

con-

Mr Sneath said every country had an absolute right to refuse

to or expel admission

any alien-and to do so arbitrally. -Reuter.

7.