TNAG-0986-FCO40-1205-Legislation-for-immigration-into-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 24

JOHNSON, STOKES & MASTER

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CONTINUED

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21st August, 1980

we understand a letter of confirmation from the school is in the hands of the Immigration Department. Upon the completion of his attendance at the second form at King George V School, he moved to the Diocesan Boys School where he remained until 1966 and again we understand a letter of confirmation was handed by our client to the Immigration Department upon his application on 12th February, 1980.

In 1966, he attended High School in Princetown, New Jersey, U.S.A. where he remained until 1968 and then went to Cornell University, U.S.A. graduating from that university in 1972, having majored in Chinese Economics and having spent his final year as an exchange, student in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong University. Our client has furnished testimony to this effect by handing a letter of confirmation to the Immigration Department.

During the period 1961 until 1973, his parents remained in Hong Kong and he himself was a resident of Hong Kong continuously between 1961 and 1966 and thereafter between 1971 and 1972 when attending Hong Kong University, and during the intervening years 1966 until 1971, he visited Hong Kong from time to time on holiday. Thus, essentially, throughout the period 1961 until 1973 he regarded himself as a resident of Hong Kong and treated Hong Kong as his home - a decision which was entirely consistent with the fact that his parents remained here throughout this period.

In 1973, his father was murdered in Star House, an event which naturally caused our client considerable distress and anguish to the extent that he decided to leave Hong Kong after the completion of the enquiries into his father's death and see whether he could obtain employment overseas. We think it was entirely reasonable for our client to adopt this attitude, especially as he did not consider it would be easy for him to obtain employment in Hong Kong as his name had been featured in the press in connection with his father's death.

Thus, in 1973, he moved to Tahiti where he remained for one year and thereafter, in 1974, he moved to San Francisco where he joined the Bank of America and worked in their International Department.

He still regarded his connections with Hong Kong as very strong as indeed is evidenced by the fact that he spent the Christmas of 1974 and the New Year of 1975 on holiday here with his prospective in-laws, Mr. & Mrs. Gerry Forsgate, whose daughter, Elaine, he had been going out with for many years and whom he hoped to marry soon thereafter.

In mid-1975 he did indeed marry Elaine Forsgate in San Francisco where they lived until 1976. His wife was born in Hong Kong and is, of course, a Hong Kong resident. In 1976, our client left the Bank of America in San Francisco and moved to Hawaii with Elaine where he took up employment in the Hotel Management business. Unfortunately, during the course of 1976, he and his wife separated and she returned to Hong Kong, while he remained in Hawaii where he continued to reside and work until he returned to Hong Kong in February this year. We would add that by mutual consent he and his wife were divorced under the Laws of Hawaii in 1978.

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