a^jf oJrfL) AoyV/ 5 &
THIS
DOCUMENT
IS
THE
PROPERTY
Printed
OP
HIS
BRITANNIC
for the Cabinet.
May
MAJESTY'3
GOVERNMENT
1950
S E C R E T
Copy N o .
CP
(50) 113. '
lSth
May,
­
1950
CABINET
C O L O U R E D PEOPLE FROM BRITISH COLONIAL
TERRITORIES
MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
Introduction
(a) A t t h e C a b i n e f s meeting o n 20th M a r c h ( C M . (50) 13th C o n c l u s i o n s ,
M i n u t e 7), I w a s invited t o submit, after c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e H o m e Secretary,
t h e M i n i s t e r of L a b o u r a n d t h e M i n i s t e r of H e a l t h , a m e m o r a n d u m o n t h e p r o b l e m s
arising f r o m t h e i m m i g r a t i o n into this c o u n t r y of c o l o u r e d p e o p l e f r o m British
Colonial territories.
(b) I n this p a p e r t h e w o r d " c o l o n i a l " refers collectively to all t h e C o l o n i e s ,
P r o t e c t o r a t e s a n d T r u s t Territories a d m i n i s t e r e d u n d e r t h e Colonial Office.
General
Background
1. T h e c o m m u n i t y of colonial p e o p l e a n d their families in this c o u n t r y is
e s t i m a t e d t o n u m b e r f r o m 20,000 t o 30,000. F o r t h e m o s t p a r t t h e s e p e r s o n s live
in L i v e r p o o l , Cardiff a n d M a n c h e s t e r , o n T y n e s i d e a n d in the E a s t E n d of L o n d o n :
t h e r e a r e smaller g r o u p s in other centres, n o t a b l y in B i r m i n g h a m , L e e d s , H u l l
a n d B o l t o n . A l t h o u g h t h e y tend t o c o n g r e g a t e t o g e t h e r a n d t o p r e f e r their o w n
society, t h e g r e a t m a j o r i t y look o n themselves as residents of the U n i t e d K i n g d o m
a n d h a v e n o i n t e n t i o n of r e t u r n i n g t o their C o l o n i e s of origin.
Pre-war
Position
2. B e f o r e t h e 1 9 1 4 - 1 8 war, few c o l o u r e d p e o p l e of colonial origin lived h e r e .
D u r i n g t h a t w a r m a n y colonials served in t h e M e r c h a n t N a v y a n d later settled
d o w n in this c o u n t r y . S o m e were able t o r e m a i n in. sea-going e m p l o y m e n t , b u t u p
t o t h e b e g i n n i n g of t h e 1939 war, t h e r e w a s a s t e a d y fall in t h e d e m a n d for colonial
firemen, a n d t h e m a j o r i t y h a d t o find e m p l o y m e n t a s h o r e . T h i s w a s n o t easy
o w i n g t o p r e v a l e n t u n e m p l o y m e n t , a n d there w e r e racial difficulties w h i c h led t o
occasional riots. Developments
during the war
3. O n t h e o u t b r e a k of the 1939 w a r , c o l o u r e d colonials w e r e r e c r u i t e d in
t h e C o l o n i e s a n d w e r e b r o u g h t over to this c o u n t r y for w a r service. O t h e r s c a m e
over voluntarily. T h e main developments w e r e ­
(a) A g r o u p of 1,200 British H o n d u r a n i a n s w e r e b r o u g h t h e r e t o fell t i m b e r
in S c o t l a n d . Of these o n l y 700 a c c e p t e d r e p a t r i a t i o n . M o s t of t h e r e s t
h a v e settled d o w n in S c o t l a n d a n d t h e N o r t h of E n g l a n d .
:
(b) A b o u t 1,000 W e s t I n d i a n technicians a n d trainees w e r e r e c r u i t e d for service
in w a r factories on M e r s e y s i d e a n d in L a n c a s h i r e . ( M r . L. C o n s t a n t i n e
w a s e m p l o y e d b y the M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r as a W e l f a r e Officer t o l o o k
after this g r o u p of m e n d u r i n g t h e i r w a r service.)
(c) 10,000 W e s t I n d i a n s w e r e r e c r u i t e d for service in t h e R o y a l A i r F o r c e , t o
s e r v e in B r i t a i n as g r o u n d crews. W h e n t h e w a r e n d e d , a p p r o x i m a t e l y
8,000 of these m e n w e r e r e p a t r i a t e d , a n d the rest t o o k their
:.. d i s c h a r g e here.
,
,
38743'
TO
;
-
id) S o m e t h o u s a n d s of m e n w e r e either r e c r u i t e d o r enlisted in t h e
N a v y . L a r g e n u m b e r s of t h e m w e r e e n g a g e d t o fill c a s u a l
a n d n o t all of t h e m w e r e b a s e d o n U n i t e d K i n g d o m p o r t s .
r e t u r n t o n o r m a l c o n d i t i o n s t h e d e m a n d for t h e services of
colonial s e a m e n h a s b e e n m u c h r e d u c e d .
Merchant
vacancies
With the
coloured
4. All t h e m e n r e c r u i t e d u n d e r special s c h e m e s w e r e eligible for r e p a t r i a t i o n ;
b u t , t h o u g h persistent efforts w e r e m a d e t o i n d u c e as m a n y of t h e m as p o s s i b l e
t o r e t u r n h o m e , a g o o d m a n y p r e f e r r e d to r e m a i n in this c o u n t r y . S o m e of these
h a v e n o t settled d o w n satisfactorily a n d a r e u n e m p l o y e d f r o m t i m e t o t i m e .
5. A n o t h e r r e i n f o r c e m e n t of t h e colonial p o p u l a t i o n c a m e f r o m s t o w a w a y s ,
chiefly f o m the W e s t Indies a n d W e s t Africa. Before t h e w a r , t h e n u m b e r of
c o l o u r e d s t o w a w a y s w a s n o t large, a n d m o s t w e r e refused p e r m i s s i o n t o l a n d
b e c a u s e t h e y could n o t satisfy I m m i g r a t i o n Officers b y p r o d u c i n g p a s s p o r t s t h a t t h e y
w e r e British or B r i t i s h - p r o t e c t e d p e r s o n s . F r o m 1941 o n w a r d s , h o w e v e r , t h e
n u m b e r increased. A t a b o u t t h e s a m e time it w a s b e i n g r e p r e s e n t e d t o t h e G o v e r n ­
m e n t t h a t t h e t r e a t m e n t of c o l o u r e d p r o t e c t e d p e r s o n s w a s o u t of k e e p i n g w i t h t h e
c i r c u m s t a n c e s of t h e t i m e s a n d t h e policy of H i s M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t as r e g a r d s
colonial peoples, a n d t h a t it c o n t r a s t e d u n f a v o u r a b l y w i t h t h e fact t h a t t h e s e
p r o t e c t e d p e r s o n s w e r e t r e a t e d b y British C o n s u l a t e s i n foreign territories in t h e
s a m e w a y as British subjects, a n d w e r e also subject t o t h e s a m e w a r - t i m e discipline
as U n i t e d K i n g d o m s e a m e n . I n 1942, t h e r e f o r e , t h e special restrictions as t o
registration, & c , of c o l o u r e d s e a m e n f r o m t h e P r o t e c t o r a t e s w e r e a b o l i s h e d a n d
c o l o u r e d p e r s o n s c o m i n g h e r e as s e a m e n for d i s c h a r g e , as p a s s e n g e r s , o r as s t o w ­
a w a y s w e r e n o t refused a d m i s s i o n for lack of d o c u m e n t a r y e v i d e n c e as t o t h e i r
n a t i o n a l status. T h e y h a d a t t h a t t i m e n o difficulty in finding e m p l o y m e n t h e r e .
Developments
since the War
6. Since 1945 t h e r e h a s b e e n a s u b s t a n t i a l i n c r e a s e in t h e n u m b e r of c o l o u r e d
p e r s o n s arriving in t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m . T h e y c o m p r i s e f a r e - p a y i n g p a s s e n g e r s
a n d s t o w a w a y s , m a i n l y f r o m t h e W e s t Indies a n d W e s t Africa, a n d c o l o u r e d s e a m e n
signed o n in overseas p o r t s w h o t a k e their d i s c h a r g e h e r e i n t h e h o p e of finding
r e g u l a r sea e m p l o y m e n t . T h e causes of the influx a r e c o m p l e x : in t h e case of
t h e W e s t Indies it a p p e a r s t o b e d u e t o u n e m p l o y m e n t a n d u n d e r - e m p l o y m e n t in
t h a t a r e a ; a n d the p r e s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e l a b o u r s h o r t a g e h e r e w a s so a c u t e t h a t
e m p l o y m e n t c o u l d easily b e f o u n d : in t h e case of W e s t Africa, t h e h i g h e r s t a n d a r d
of living a n d social services h e r e a p p e a r to b e t h e m a i n a t t r a c t i o n .
7. A large n u m b e r of t h e i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s w h o h a v e a r r i v e d h e r e since t h e
w a r c o m p r i s e W e s t I n d i a n s w h o served in the R o y a l A i r F o r c e d u r i n g t h e w a r a n d
u s e d t h e i r gratuities t o p a y their passages b a c k t o t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m . T h e y a r e
n o t h a n d i c a p p e d b y l a n g u a g e difficulties a n d h a v e a m u c h b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of
British w a y s of life t h a n t h e a v e r a g e W e s t African. T h e r e a r e n o statistics avail­
able b u t it is u n d e r s t o o d t h a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2,000 m i g r a n t w o r k e r s h a v e a r r i v e d
f r o m t h e W e s t Indies, chiefly f r o m J a m a i c a , since 1945, m o s t l y in l a r g e p a r t i e s
travelling in t r o o p s h i p s at c h e a p rates. I n 1949, t h e n u m b e r of s u c h a r r i v a l s
d r o p p e d considerably. T h i s w a s d u e p a r t l y t o s h i p p i n g difficulties a n d p a r t l y t o t h e
fact t h a t fewer m e n c o u l d n o w afford t h e c o s t of p a s s a g e s . N e v e r t h e l e s s u n t i l
u n e m p l o y m e n t in J a m a i c a is r e d u c e d t h e r e is b o u n d t o b e a desire a m o n g m a n y
p e r s o n s t h e r e t o seek w o r k overseas.
8. I n r e s p o n s e t o r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s f r o m t h e colonies t h e m s e l v e s , m y p r e d e ­
cessor set u p a D e p a r t m e n t a l C o m m i t t e e in 1948 t o advise w h e t h e r t h e r e w a s a n y
s c o p e i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m for t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n u n d e r official auspices of s u r p l u s
c o l o n i a l l a b o u r . I t w a s n o t f o u n d possible t o p r o m o t e a n y schemes w h i c h w o u l d
give s u b s t a n t i a l h e l p t o t h e colonies, b u t t w o s m a l l g r o u p s of p e o p l e h a v e b e e n
r e c r u i t e d f r o m St. H e l e n a a n d B a r b a d o s .
9. Since the w a r t h e r e h a v e been t h r e e o c c a s i o n s u p o n w h i c h d i s t u r b a n c e s
b e t w e e n g r o u p s of c o l o u r e d p e r s o n s a n d o t h e r s h a v e c a l l e d for special p o l i c e a c t i o n
t o r e s t o r e l a w a n d o r d e r . T h e s e w e r e at L i v e r p o o l f r o m 31st J u l y t o 2 n d A u g u s t ,
1948, a t D e p t f o r d o n 18th July, 1949, a n d at a n i n d u s t r i a l h o s t e l n e a r B i r m i n g h a m
from 6th t o 8th A u g u s t , 1949. I s o l a t e d d i s t u r b a n c e s o c c u r f r o m t i m e t o t i m e
involving individual Coloured m e n , a n d t h e police in t h e a r e a s w i t h a g g r e g a t i o n s
of c o l o u r e d p e r s o n s k e e p a special w a t c h for a n y incidents likely t o p r o v o k e a
general disturbance.
The present
situation
10. I t is a m o n g t h e n e w v o l u n t a r y arrivals a n d p e r s o n s w h o c a m e h e r e for
w a r service a n d did n o t r e t u r n t h a t the m a i n p r o b l e m s of h o u s i n g , e m p l o y m e n t
a n d relief of distress n o w arise.
11. I n view of t h e c o n t i n u i n g influx, a n i n t e r - D e p a r t m e n t a l m e e t i n g w a s held
a t t h e H o m e Office o n 18th F e b r u a r y , 1949, t o consider w h a t a c t i o n c o u l d b e t a k e n
b y t h e G o v e r n m e n t D e p a r t m e n t s c o n c e r n e d , n a m e l y t h e C o l o n i a l Office, t h e H o m e
Office, t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r , t h e M i n i s t r y of H e a l t h the M i n i s t r y of T r a n s p o r t
a n d t h e N a t i o n a l A s s i s t a n c e B o a r d . I t w a s d e c i d e d to c o n c e n t r a t e a c t i o n u n d e r
t h e following h e a d s : ­
(a) T o p r e s s C o l o n i a l G o v e r n m e n t s t o r e d u c e t h e flow at the s o u r c e by m a k i n g
it k n o w n t h a t j o b s a n d a c c o m m o d a t i o n i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m a r e n o t
t o o easily f o u n d , by n o t issuing p a s s p o r t s t o p e r s o n s w h o c a n n o t p a y
their p a s s a g e s or are obviously of the t y p e w h o d o n o t w e l c o m e r e g u l a r
e m p l o y m e n t , a n d b y i m p o s i n g greater c o n t r o l s at the p o r t s t o p r e v e n t
stowing away.
(b) T o stiffen u p i m m i g r a t i o n practice at U n i t e d K i n g d o m p o r t s b y a r e t u r n
t o t h e pre-1942 practice of r e q u i r i n g all arrivals f r o m any d e s t i n a t i o n
t o p r o d u c e satisfactory evidence of British nationality.
(c) T o set u p a w o r k i n g p a r t y of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e G o v e r n m e n t D e p a r t ­
m e n t s c o n c e r n e d t o tackle t h e p r o b l e m of t h o s e colonials a l r e a d y h e r e
b y dispersal, b y finding e m p l o y m e n t a n d a c c o m m o d a t i o n , a n d by
a r r a n g i n g for v o l u n t a r y r e p a t r i a t i o n of the misfits.
Action
Taken
12. A c t i o n so far t a k e n u n d e r these h e a d s is briefly as f o l l o w s : ­
(a) (i) I n g e n e r a l C o l o n i a l G o v e r n m e n t s h a v e m a d e it their practice t o w a r n
p o t e n t i a l i m m i g r a n t s of c o n d i t i o n s in t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m a n d to refuse
p a s s p o r t s in p r o p e r cases. M y predecessor sent a d e s p a t c h t o the
G o v e r n o r s of the Colonies suggesting ways a n d m e a n s of p r e v e n t i n g
s t o w i n g a w a y in colonial p o r t s , it is t o o early y e t to say h o w far
C o l o n i a l G o v e r n m e n t s will be able to t a k e effective m e a s u r e s ,
(ii) M a n y s t o w a w a y s from W e s t Africa have p r o d u c e d British T r a v e l
Certificates. T h e s e d o c u m e n t s a r e issued by t h e British a u t h o r i t i e s i n
W e s t African territories only for travel b e t w e e n t h o s e territories, b u t ,
as they certify t h e h o l d e r ' s nationality, I m m i g r a t i o n Officers in the
U n i t e d K i n g d o m h a v e h a d n o o p t i o n b u t t o accept t h e m . I a m seeing
w h e t h e r these Certificates c a n b e c h a n g e d into d o c u m e n t s merely
certifying identity a n d place of residence, w i t h o u t a n y reference t o
n a t i o n a l s t a t u s : if this c a n b e d o n e it should r e d u c e substantially t h e
n u m b e r of s t o w a w a y s f r o m W e s t Africa w h o are a d m i t t e d h e r e .
(b) (i) O n 19th S e p t e m b e r , 1949, the H o m e Office issued revised i n s t r u c t i o n s
t o I m m i g r a t i o n Officers e n a b l i n g t h e m to refuse leave t o l a n d to p e r s o n s
w h o c a n n o t provide satisfactory evidence t h a t they a r e British subjects
o r British p r o t e c t e d p e r s o n s . T h i s w a s in effect a r e t u r n t o t h e p r e - 1 9 4 2
p r a c t i c e , a n d as a result t h e r e has b e e n a slight decline in the n u m b e r
of s t o w a w a y s given leave t o land,
(ii) I h a v e sent a d e s p a t c h t o all m a r i t i m e Colonies r e c o m m e n d i n g t h e i n t r o ­
d u c t i o n of a s t a n d a r d certificate of nationality a n d identity for all
colonial s e a m e n a n d the verification of these m e n ' s n a t i o n a l i t y before
t h e d o c u m e n t is issued. If this s t a n d a r d d o c u m e n t is b r o u g h t i n t o use
it will r e d u c e the possibility of aliens entering the U n i t e d K i n g d o m as
British subjects with forged or i m p r o p e r l y issued certificates.
(c) T h e i n t e r - D e p a r t m e n t a l w o r k i n g p a r t y b e g a n w o r k in M a y 1949.
q u e s t i o n s With which it is m a i n l y concerned a r e : - ­
The
(i) Accommodation-The
s t o w a w a y s a n d m i g r a n t w o r k e r s h a v e settled in
t h e m a i n centres of colonial p o p u l a t i o n a n d h a v e thus a g g r a v a t e d t h e
. p o o r c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r w h i c h c o l o u r e d p e o p l e a r e living. A n a d d e d
difficulty i s t h a t , in places s u c h as L i v e r p o o l a n d Cardiff, t h e r e is a
general lack of e m p l o y m e n t . M a n y of t h e m e n are u n m a r r i e d a n d
38743
3 2
, a r e n o t eligible for h o u s i n g b y local a u t h o r i t i e s . . Ther.e,.,. is,,., s o m e
prejudice o n t h e p a r t of landladies a n d o t h e r s against a c c o m m o d a t i n g
coloured people.
(ii) Employment.-This
prejudice is e x a c e r b a t e d in areas w h e r e t h e r e is
s u b s t a n t i a l g e n e r a l u n e m p l o y m e n t o r in e s t a b l i s h m e n t s w h e r e w h i t e
women are employed.
T h e p r i n c i p a l obstacle, h o w e v e r , is t h e attitude of some of t h e
: c o l o u r e d colonials themselves a n d their undisciplined b e h a v i o u r w h e n
t h e y secure e m p l o y m e n t . T h i s applies t o t h e m e n w h o a r e new t o this
c o u n t r y a n d n o t t o t h e s e c o n d g e n e r a t i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e p r o b l e m of
u n e m p l o y m e n t is c o m p a r a t i v e l y small. A special e n q u i r y u n d e r t a k e n
b y the M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r last J u l y s h o w e d t h a t in t h e m a i n centres
t h e r e w e r e a b o u t 1,200 m e n o u t of w o r k . T h e majority of these w e r e
in L i v e r p o o l (540), L o n d o n (East E n d ) (278), W a l e s (mainly Cardiff)
(101) a n d M a n c h e s t e r (129). Of this total of 1,200 nearly 500 w e r e m e n
w h o r e p r e s e n t e d themselves as s e a m e n .
T h e r e is a c o n s t a n t t u r n o v e r of m e n , a n d except in L i v e r p o o l , a n d
t o s o m e e x t e n t Cardiff, the total of u n e m p l o y e d d o e s h o t r e p r e s e n t a
static figure of m e n w h o a r e u n a b l e t o o b t a i n w o r k . F o r e x a m p l e ,
while t h e r e w e r e 137 c o l o u r e d colonial u n e m p l o y e d in M a n c h e s t e r in
N o v e m b e r , t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r h a d p l a c e d 262 in e m p l o y m e n t in
t h e p r e v i o u s six m o n t h s , 82 h a d o b t a i n e d seagoing e m p l o y m e n t a n d
56 h a d f o u n d w o r k b y their o w n efforts. A t Stepney, w h e r e t h e r e is a
relatively large c o l o u r e d colonial c o m m u n i t y , 203 m e n h a d b e e n f o u n d
e m p l o y m e n t in t h e m o n t h e n d e d 6 t h F e b r u a r y this y e a r .
T h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r a r e trying t o transfer m e n in a r e a s such
as L i v e r p o o l a n d L o n d o n t o areas in t h e c o u n t r y w h e r e t h e r e a r e a c u t e
l a b o u r s h o r t a g e s . I n spite of a c c o m m o d a t i o n difficulties s o m e success
h a s a l r e a d y b e e n achieved w i t h t h e h e l p of t h e N a t i o n a l Service Hostels
Corporation.
T h e m o s t difficult p r o b l e m is t h a t of s e a m e n , g e n u i n e or o t h e r w i s e ,
w h o c a n n o t get seagoing e m p l o y m e n t a n d w h o are often n e i t h e r suitable
for, n o r willing to t a k e , s h o r e e m p l o y m e n t a w a y from t h e p o r t s .
(iii) Repatriation-Destitute
or i n c a p a c i t a t e d p e r s o n s w h o w o u l d o t h e r w i s e
b e likely t o b e c o m e a c o n t i n u a l c h a r g e o n public funds c a n n o w b e
r e p a t r i a t e d t o their colonies at p u b l i c e x p e n s e . T h e cost of r e p a t r i a t i o n
is m e t b y t h e N a t i o n a l Assistance B o a r d if it c a n b e established t h a t t h e
cost c a n n o t b e m e t f r o m any o t h e r s o u r c e . Before m e n a r e sent h o m e ,
enquiries are m a d e in t h e colonies t o see if t h e next-of-kin c a n m e e t t h e
w h o l e o r p a r t of t h e cost.
T h e r e are s o m e individuals w h o are o u t s i d e t h e scope of t h e p r e s e n t
r e p a t r i a t i o n a r r a n g e m e n t s . G e n e r a l l y t h e s e are able-bodied m e n for
w h o m w o r k can b e f o u n d b y t h e M i n i s t r y of L a b o u r . M e n in this
c a t e g o r y a r e only offered r e p a t r i a t i o n w h e n they are likely t o b e c o m e
a c o n t i n u a l c h a r g e o n public funds a n d it is clearly in t h e p u b l i c interest
t h a t t h e y s h o u l d b e sent h o m e . S o m e difficulty h a s b e e n c a u s e d b y
s h i p o w n e r s w h o e n g a g e colonial s e a m e n in foreign or D o m i n i o n p o r t s
w i t h o u t a r e p a t r i a t i o n clause in t h e articles of a g r e e m e n t . I n general,
it is n o t possible to exercise c o n t r o l over t h e r e c r u i t m e n t of these m e n in
foreign ships, b u t a d e s p a t c h is b e i n g sent to Colonial G o v e r n m e n t s to
see if a n y effective m e a s u r e s c a n b e t a k e n locally to o b t a i n this c o n t r o l .
A bigger difficulty arises from t h e fact t h a t a n u m b e r of colonial s e a m e n
o n arrival in t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m h a v e forfeited or v o l u n t a r i l y w a i v e d
their r e p a t r i a t i o n r i g h t s . T h e s e m e n a r e usually p a i d off h e r e , b u t , as
t h e r e is n o s h o r t a g e of l a b o u r in t h e shipping industry, it h a s n o t b e e n
possible for m o r e t h a n a handful of t h e m t o b e a b s o r b e d in seagoing
e m p l o y m e n t . T h e M i n i s t r y of T r a n s p o r t a n d t h e shipping i n d u s t r y h a v e
recently r e m i n d e d overseas r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a n d t h e M a s t e r s of ships
respectively t o see t h a t in all cases w h e r e colonial s e a m e n a r e signed o n
t h e r e s h o u l d b e a r e p a t r i a t i o n clause in t h e articles of a g r e e m e n t , so t h a t
o n arrival in this c o u n t r y t h e m e n m a y b e r e p a t r i a t e d a t t h e e x p e n s e
of t h e s h i p p i n g c o m p a n y c o n c e r n e d . N o British c o l o u r e d p e r s o n c a n ,
h o w e v e r , b e c o m p e l l e d to accept r e p a t r i a t i o n if h e d o e s n o t wish t o go,
a n d in m a n y cases m e n r e c r u i t e d in this w a y decide t o s t a y a n d try
their luck.
:
-i
;;
(iv) Colour discrimination.—As
a l r e a d y m e n t i o n e d , t h e r e is a c e r t a i n a m o u n t
of prejudice in this c o u n t r y against c o l o u r e d p e o p l e ; for e x a m p l e ,
r e l u c t a n c e o n the p a r t of l a n d l a d i e s t o accept t h e m as l o d g e r s , a n d
o t h e r manifestations o n t h e p a r t of p r i v a t e e m p l o y e r s a n d w o r k e r s a n d
i n social activities. T h i s prejudice is n o t , h o w e v e r , c a p a b l e of being
o v e r c o m e b y direct legislative o r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a c t i o n . T h e I n f o r m a ­
tion D e p a r t m e n t of t h e C o l o n i a l Office is c a r r y i n g o u t a p l a n n e d p r o ­
g r a m m e of w o r k designed to m a k e t h e British p u b l i c b e t t e r i n f o r m e d
a b o u t t h e Colonies a n d their peoples a n d t o p r o m o t e m u t u a l u n d e r ­
s t a n d i n g . A p a r t f r o m this, the best service w h i c h t h e C o l o n i a l Office
Office a n d o t h e r D e p a r t m e n t s of G o v e r n m e n t c a n r e n d e r in this field
is to g r a p p l e with t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p r o b l e m s in c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e
i m m i g r a t i o n , residence a n d e m p l o y m e n t of t h e relatively small g r o u p
of c o l o u r e d p e o p l e w h o h a v e n o t yet b e e n a b s o r b e d i n t o the n o r m a l
life a n d w o r k of t h e c o u n t r y , t o see t h a t they h a v e their fair s h a r e of
t h e amenities a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s available to the c o m m u n i t y in general,
a n d t o stimulate v o l u n t a r y interest a n d service o n their behalf.
FUTURE ACTION
13. M y D e p a r t m e n t has b e e n u n d e r s o m e p r e s s u r e f r o m P a r l i a m e n t a r y a n d
p u b l i c s o u r c e s t o t a k e special action i n t h e w a y of setting u p clubs a n d p r o v i d i n g
welfare officers t o a t t e n d t o t h e special n e e d s of these p e o p l e . I t w o u l d , h o w e v e r ,
be a w r o n g policy t o t r e a t t h e colonial residents as a class a p a r t f r o m t h e c o m m u n i t y
in general, t h o u g h it m u s t b e recognised t h a t t h e y d o n e e d special g u i d a n c e . A p a r t
from t h e settled colonial c o m m u n i t y only s o m e t h r e e or four t h o u s a n d p e r s o n s a r e
involved, a n d b y careful a n d c o n t i n u a l a t t e n t i o n t o their n e e d s I a m confident t h a t
the p r o b l e m c a n b e k e p t within b o u n d s w i t h o u t r e s o r t t o a n y d r a s t i c m e a s u r e s .
T h e r e are, h o w e v e r , certain lines of a c t i o n w h i c h m y D e p a r t m e n t c a n follow to
p r e v e n t t h e p r o b l e m f r o m g r o w i n g in size a n d getting o u t of h a n d . T h e s e lines
are generally as f o l l o w s : —
(i) P r e s s u r e will b e m a i n t a i n e d o n C o l o n i a l G o v e r n m e n t s t o t a k e all possible
m e a s u r e s t o p r e v e n t the e m b a r k a t i o n of s t o w a w a y s in C o l o n i a l p o r t s .
I t will n o t be possible for a n y a c t i o n t o be t a k e n t o c o n t r o l their
e m b a r k a t i o n in foreign p o r t s , a p a r t f r o m p r e s s u r e o n shipping
companies.
(ii) T h e C o l o n i a l Office will, in c o n s u l t a t i o n with C o l o n i a l G o v e r n m e n t s ,
c o n t i n u e t o discourage t h e m i g r a t i o n of unskilled w o r k e r s f r o m t h e
W e s t Indies, a n d to r e d u c e t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s for aliens t o o b t a i n
i r r e g u l a r d o c u m e n t s w h i c h m i g h t gain t h e m e n t r y t o t h e U n i t e d K i n g ­
dom.
Colonial G o v e r n m e n t s will be k e p t fully i n f o r m e d of t h e
difficulties which m e n m a y expect t o find o n arrival in this c o u n t r y
a n d will b e asked t o m a k e t h e m widely k n o w n a m o n g t h e public.
(iii) Efforts will c o n t i n u e to b e m a d e in c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h v o l u n t a r y organisa­
tions a n d local a u t h o r i t i e s t o d e a l effectively w i t h t h e social welfare of
n e w additions t o the colonial c o m m u n i t i e s i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m ,
p a r t i c u l a r l y in r e g a r d t o h o u s i n g a n d social amenities. W i t h this object
in view, I p r o p o s e to c o n s u l t w i t h non-official v o l u n t a r y o r g a n i s a t i o n s
such as t h e British C o u n c i l of C h u r c h e s a n d t h e N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of
Social Service.
(iv) T h e C o l o n i a l Office will c o n t i n u e t o c o - o p e r a t e w i t h t h e M i n i s t r y of
L a b o u r in their efforts t o r e d u c e b y dispersal t h e n u m b e r of u n e m p l o y e d
colonials living in areas w h e r e w o r k is n o t r e a d i l y available.
J. G .
Colonial
Office,
ISth May, 1950.