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Y.

SECRET

sir,

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

7th April, 1938.

43

I have the honour to forward for your

consideration the accompanying draft of a Bill entitled

"An Ordinance to make provision with respect to military

service", to be included on the advice of the Military

Authorities and the Man-Power Sub-Committee of the Local

Defence Committee in Schedule J of Chapter VI of the

Hong Kong Defence Scheme, for subsequent enactment should

the emergency arise. Having regard to the risk to which

this Colony is exposed of sudden hostile attack, possibly

delivered without warning, I think it advisable that

legislation of this nature should be ready in draft form.

2. As explained in the memorandum of Objects and

Reasons appended to the Bill, the lines of the former

General Military Service Ordinance, 1918, have been followed.

It will be observed that, by clause 11 (3), persons selected

for military service are "deemed to have been duly enlisted

in His Majesty's regular forces for general service with

the Colours", and by clause 11 (4), "Every person belonging

to the Reserve is liable to service within and without the

limits of the Colony,"

In this connection, the view taken by the local

military authorities is that the necessity of providing for

military service outside the Colony, though remote, cannot

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

W.G.A. ORMSBY GORE, P.C., M.P.,

etc.,

etc.,

etc.

altogether

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