116. Captain ARTHUR EVANSasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the unanimous resolution which was recently passed by the Cardiff Coloured Association to the effect that the registration of coloured British subjects in Great Britain as aliens is undesirable and unjust, and that steps should be taken to remove the existing law; and if he will consider introducing a Bill to alter the present state of affairs or whether any other means can be found to 1965 overcome the present practice of making it necessary for British coloured subjects to register as if they were aliens?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI have not seen any such resolution, but I presume that it refers to the Special Restriction (Coloured Alien Seamen) Order which I made in March last under the Aliens Order, 1920. This Special Order requires coloured alien seamen to register with the police, but it has no application to persons who are able to produce satisfactory proof that they are British subjects.
Captain EVANSAre we to understand from that reply that British coloured subjects coming, say, from Arabia, are not required to register?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCertainly not. No British subject is required to register.