§ Mr. T. M. HEALYasked the Secretary for the Colonies whether he has recently sanctioned regulations closing the Civil Services and the Police, services of Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, and the Federated Malay States against all persons, although natural-born British subjects and successful in the open competitive examinations held in London, who are not of pure European descent both in the male and female line; if so, what are the exact terms of such regulations; how are the pedigrees of candidates investigated; and are similar regulations in force in the French, Dutch, or Portuguese colonies in the East?
Mr. HARCOURTAppointments in the Civil and Police services of Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States, which are filled by open competition, have for years past been restricted to British subjects of pure European descent in view of the special difficulties arising from racial conditions in164W those parts of the world. The wording of the regulations was recently altered in order to obviate any possible ambiguity. The exact terms as regards cadets are:—
"The cadets, who must be natural-born British subjects of pure European descent on both sides, are selected by open competitive examination."
For police probationers the exact terms are:—
"Every candidate must be a British subject of pure European descent on both sides, and at the time of his birth his father must have been a British subject, either natural born or naturalised in the United Kingdom."
The statements of candidates as to their descent have hitherto been accepted, and no necessity for investigation has arisen. I should, of course, have to consider a suitable mode of investigation if there were good grounds for disbelieving a candidate's statement. With regard to the last part of the question I have no information.