G.K. Miller

15^th September, 1966

[All subsequent surnames are redacted except for initial.]

Mr Eric John R and One Child

Miss Elizabeth Ann R<

Major & Mrs Victor Albert W

[Dividing line.]

Mr R [underlined] is aged 46. He has greying black hair, brown eyes, a light brown complexion and features which are more Asian than European. His photograph is a good likeness. He has worked in the Railways for twenty years and is presently assistant station master and would receive a pension on retirement which would be remittable to Australia. He understands as in respect of his previous application that he would not find it too difficult obtaining railways employment in Australia but in any case he said his working experience involved commercial and accounting work as well. He said the main reason for his present application was the language provision in schools – as from next year children must pick between Singhalese and Tamil. The English stream will be abolished. He wants his son to be educated in the English stream. Mr R’s wife died after approval of the previous application (your reference 63/41459). He has four brothers and sisters in Ceylon and has noted that they have some intention of applying to migrate.

Miss Elizabeth R [underlined] is aged 19. She has black hair, brown eyes, a sallow complexion and Eurasian feature. Her photograph is a fair likeness, but she is not as European as it suggests. She was educated to the G.C.E. Ordinary level (not passing) and is at present doing a dressmaking course here. She took shorthand and typing as subjects at school. She is not engaged or planning to become engaged.

Michael David R [underlined] is aged 5. He is in kindergarten at the moment. He is due to start school next year. He has brown hair, a light complexion and Eurasian features. His photograph is a fair likeness.

Major W [underlined, annotated in blue pen ‘(children’s grandfather)’] is 69. He has greying hair, grey eyes, a light complexion and European features. He is totally European in appearance. He still does voluntary work for the Salvation Army but has been retired for five years. He receives a remittable pension from the Salvation Army. He has a sister in Malaya and a sister in Australia and deceased sister’s and sister-in-law’s family in Australia.

Mrs W [underlined, annotated in blue pen ‘(and wife)’] is aged 69. She has grey hair, brown eyes, a light brown complexion, and predominantly Singhalese features – she is pure Singhalese. She has no brothers or sisters.

The family group has been guaranteed accommodation (guarantee received) by Mr F.C. H, Mount Gambier South Australia. Mr R said Major and Mrs W were his dependants and he would be willing to give a maintenance guarantee for them. Major W and the two R children would be above borderline and we would agree with the previous interviewer that Mr R would not find much difficulty in integrating in Australia on appearance grounds. Mrs W is old enough to make integration no real problem. The group was accompanied at the interview by Captain N, an Australian Salvation Army Officer here.