TNAG-0318-FCO40-354-Legislation-for-immigration-and-deportation-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 158

CYR/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 1987502

CONFIDENTIAL

RECOINENTIAL

REGISTRY No. 51

20 AUG 1971

ree Amendment Met

NKK 18/10

hee

588

TO ROUTINE FCO TELNO 583 OF 19 AUGUST INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

OFFICE LONDON.

LAST

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 523.

REF

12

N

REF.

27

IMMIGRATION BILL.

THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED ON 21 JULY, AND THE DEBATE ON THE SECOND

READING HAS STOOD ADJOURNED SINCE THEN. I NOW PROPOSE THAT THE

DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING SHOULD BE CONTINUED AND COMPLETED ON

1 SEPTEMBER. THE 1 SEPTEMBER SITTING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

IS THE LAST OF THE CURRENT SESSION, AND I WOULD NOT WANT THE SECOND READING LEFT OVER UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION. THE BILL HAS. CONTINUED TO RECEIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PUBLICITY, FAVOURABLE AND ADVERSE, BUT HAS NOT AROUSED VERY GREAT INTEREST NOR SUBSTANTIAL

OPPOSITION. TO DEFER THE SECOND READING ANY FURTHER COULD GIVE RISE

TO EMBARRASSING SPECULATION THAT GOVERNMENT WAS HAVING DOUBTS.

AND SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BILL. I AM ADVISED

THAT AMENDMENTS PROPOSED TO THE U.K. IMMIGRATION BILL ARE NOT

RELEVANT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF OUR BILL, AND I AM THEREFORE PRESUMING

THAT NO FURTHER DEFERMENT ON THAT SCORE IS REQUIRED.

FCO PASS HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.

TRENCH

FILES

HKD

FED

MVD

PS TO MR ROYLE

SIR L MONSON

MR WILFORD

COPY TO: HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL