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]