Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked what was the nature of the ambiguity in the Colonial Office Regulations which made necessary the recent change of wording whereby all British subjects who are not of pure European descent on both sides are excluded from the Civil and police services of Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States; and whether any and, if so, what cases of doubt had arisen calling for a more stringent wording of the Regulation?
§ Mr. GULLANDThe Regulations up to the year 1910 merely stated that candidates must be of European descent. In that year a candidate of mixed blood claimed that the phrase "European descent" covered the case of a person who was partly of European descent. The wording was, therefore, altered in order to show beyond possibility of doubt what was the real meaning of the phrase.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether any correspondence between himself and the Government of the Straits 1908 Settlements with reference to the recently abolished Queen's scholarships has been published in the local Gazette; and, if so, whether he will place copies of the Gazette in the Library, indicating on which pages the correspondence may be found?
§ Mr. GULLANDThe Secretary of State has, himself, never had any correspondence with the Government of the Straits Settlements on the subject.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTAre we to understand that this reversal of the previous policy was made by the Secretary of State without any correspondence with the Colony or the Governor of the Colony affected?
§ Mr. GULLANDOn this point the Secretary of State has never had any, correspondence with the Governor on the subject.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked why the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements was not consulted before the new-Regulation was made excluding from the Civil and police service all British subjects who are not of pure European descent on both sides?
§ Mr. GULLANDThe Secretary of State understands that his predecessor who was in office when the restriction of Cadetships and Probationerships to persons of European descent was introduced, did not consider it necessary to consult the Council. The Secretary of State's own share in the matter, as he has repeatedly stated, consisted only in the removal of a possible ambiguity. It was obviously unnecessary to trouble the Council on such a trifling point.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTArising out of the very clear answers of the hon. Gentleman, may I ask is the change in the personnel of the Colonial Office permanent?
§ Mr. GULLANDI am sure the hon. Member will agree with me that that would be a great disaster for the Empire.