MIGRATION CHECK

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29910, 25 August 1962, Page 4

MIGRATION CHECK

Campaign In Hong Kong (N.ZP.A.-Reuter —Copyright) HONG KONG, August 23. The Hong Kong Government is mobilising a large force of men, speedboats and launches for a major operation shortly to check illegal immigration by sea. The British Army and Navy will co-operate with the Hong Kong police, revenue and immigration departments in the drive, the main object of which is to plug up the remaining holes in the colony's immigration fence. It is understood that the Army’s role will be to keep a close watch on Lantao Island and the New Territories, while * Royal Navy minesweepers will patrol sealanes leading to the colony. Racketeers are known to carry illegal immigrants from Macao by motorised junks and then transfer them to sampans at the approaches to the colony. The Immigration Department is said to be registering for identity cards only those new arrivals possessing papers to prove their residence in China before coming to Hong Kong. The object of this precaution is believed to be aimed against Formosa and Macao residents who entered the colony and posed as refugees from the China mainland Since the mass refugee invasion last May, the department has processed about 83,000 new arrivals for the issue of identity cards, the “South China Morning Post” said.