Agendum 1465A CANBERRA, 24 June 1948
TERRITORY OF PAPUA-NEW GUINEA POLICY IN RELATION TO ENTRY AND RESIDENCE OF CHINESE
Pursuant to Cabinet decision of 2nd June, 1948 [1] the above subject has been examined by a Committee, consisting of representatives of the Department of External Affairs, Department of Immigration and Department of External Territories, and it has been the subject of consultation between the respective Ministers.
It is recommended that the policy be:
Overseas traders (i) Chinese merchants engaged in overseas trade now resident in New Guinea may be granted extensions of their exemptions for a period of seven years provided that the Administration is satisfied that they continue to engage in overseas trade to the extent of 1,000 per annum.
(ii) Chinese whose entry is approved in future for the purpose of engaging in overseas trade may be admitted on exemption certificates for a period of seven years provided that they satisfy the Administration prior to actual entry of their bona- fides and provided that the annual overseas trade is not less than 1,000 per annum.
Exemptions may be renewed for periods of seven years on the same conditions.
Assistants for local traders Approval may be given for the entry of assistants on the following basis:-
(i) the amount of yearly turnover to enable a Chinese engaged in local trade to qualify for the introduction of an assistant for his business shall not be less than 2,500. One additional assistant may be admitted in respect of each additional 2,500 turnover per annum.
(ii) Chinese now in New Guinea who were admitted as assistants for local traders may be granted extensions for their exemptions for a period of five years provided that the Administrator is satisfied that they are complying with the conditions under which they were admitted.
(iii) Chinese whose entry is authorised in the future as assistants for local traders may be admitted in the first place on certificates of exemption for five years and their exemptions may be renewed for five yearly periods provided that the Administrator is satisfied that the conditions under which they were admitted are being complied with.
No assistant to be admitted unless the sponsor satisfies the Administrator that no suitable
Assistant (whether Chinese, native or other) is available in New Guinea.
Substitutes for local traders (i) Permanent substitutes Not to be admitted.
(ii) Temporary substitutes A Chinese engaged in the local trade who wishes to pay a visit abroad may be allowed to introduce a temporary substitute under exemption for a period of three years in the first instance which may be extended up to five years on the following conditions:-
(a) the local trader will leave New Guinea within six months of the substitutes arrival in the Territory;
(b) the substitute will leave New Guinea within six months from the date of the return of the local trader.
Provided that approval for the entry of a substitute will not be given unless the sponsor satisfies the Administrator that no local substitute (whether Chinese native or other) is available.
Chinese wives and dependants Where approval is given for the entry of Chinese in accordance with policy their wives and children will be allowed to accompany them.
Any Chinese domiciled in New Guinea and who had a wife in 1921, such wife to be no longer subject to immigration restriction.
Chinese wives whose exemption expired between the outbreak of war and the Japanese invasion who had not because of the war left the Territory may be granted an extension of exemption for a further period not exceeding three years.
When a person born in the Territory of a father domiciled in the Territory departs from the Territory a document may be issued valid for entry for a period up to 5 years subject to extension at the discretion of the Administrator for such further period not exceeding 5 years as he thinks fit.
Chinese Students Chinese students 10 to 14 years of age coming to parents or guardians-admission may be granted under exemption for a period of 3 years, with extensions of 3 years subject to the Administrator being satisfied that the student is attending an approved school as a full-time scholar and is being properly cared for. In the case of a guardian a bond of 100 to be lodged.
There is no University or higher technical training school in New Guinea but should such institutions be established in the future the Australian policy regarding admission of Chinese students for education or training at such institutions to apply.
Chinese Tourists Bona fide tourists may be admitted for a period up to 12 months.
Chinese Missionaries Male Missionaries and their wives and families may be admitted under exemption according to the circumstances of each case and extensions of exemption may be granted at the discretion of the Administrator.
No unmarried female Chinese missionary to be admitted.
General The above policy to be subject always to the provisions that where it is found that a Chinese has ceased to comply with the conditions under which his admission was authorised, permission for him and his wife and children, if any, to continue to reside in New Guinea may be regarded as having lapsed, and if so directed by the Administrator he, together with his wife and children may at any time thereafter be required to leave New Guinea. [2]
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1 The decision recommended the issue be examined by a sub- committee consisting of the Minister for External Affairs, the Minister for Immigration and the Minister for External Territories and for the sub-committee to submit recommendations to Cabinet.
2 Cabinet approved the recommendation on 28 June 1948.
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[AA:A2700, VOL. 36]