CONFIDENTIAL
7
25
Jagree
(23) +
citizens under the new legislation.
These details will
include the fact that in the case of dependent territories,
any one territory will be allowed up to a maximum of 50 per
cent of the total of 400 permits available for all dependent
territories. This means that Hong Kong's existing annual
quota of 300 vouchers will be reduced to 200; and the
Governor's representations will have failed.
6.
Although the Department of Employment's objections are
to some extent open to question I do not think that we can
take any effective action in the short time available to us
to persuade that Department to change their mind.
Subject
It
to your own views Mr Laird agrees with this conclusion.
is however important that we should inform the Governor of
the failure of his representations before he hears about it
from Hansard or the Press. Mr Downing is accordingly
preparing a draft telegram which he proposes should issue
as a personal one from you to the Governor and which he
will send over to me as soon as possible.
7.
The telegram will also include information about the
situation over the entry of stateless Chinese from Hong Kong
into this country. There was a meeting in the Department
of Employment on this subject yesterday and Mr Downing is
enquiring as to the outcome. We have not as yet given
the Governor any intimation that there will be a reduction
in the number of stateless Chinese permitted to enter this
country from Hong Kong. In sending the telegram therefore
we shall be faced with/unpleasant task of telling him that
the
/there
2.
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.