MR. OGDEN : Would not my hon. Friend agree that the disturbances in Hong Kong after 11th May were principally politically motivated; that they were closely related to political demonstrations in Peking, Shanghai and Macao? Will she take this opportunity to express the admiration of the House for the servants of Her Majesty's Government in Peking, Shanghai and Macao?
MRS. HART: I agree with my hon. Friend that the original labour dispute gave way to something in which there was indeed a great deal of political motivation. We must bear in mind here that there are ideological debates going on about such matters as the cultural revolution among the local Communists in Hong Kong. I have found, as my hon. Friend has obviously found, a number of interpretations here about events in Hong Kong which have been very interesting indeed and I think that many of the interpretations have been considerably relevant to what we know has been happening.
MR. THORPE: While agreeing with what the hon. Lady has said about the police in Hong Kong, and whatever may have been the external political influences that arose, would she not agree that two causes of the frustration are first the appalling housing conditions in places like Lion Rock town, the Walled City and Aberdeen, whatever may have been the housing achievements of the past? Secondly, there is the fact that in a British colony of 4 million, not a single solitary soul has a vote, save for 10 members of the town council. If direct elections, for cold war reasons, are impractical, could we not move toward some form of indirect elections?
MRS. HART: This is where it is of the utmost relevance that we get the opinions of representative organisations and individuals in Hong Kong on proposals now under consideration for changes in local government. would introduce much of the kind of thing which the rt. hon. Gentleman has in mind,
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May I make one thing quite clear. There is no indication, paradoxical though it may seem, that either concern about the degree of democratic representation in Hong Kong or concern about the working conditions have been among the motivations at this time. They may be a part of the deep background, but there is no indication that it has been at this time anything other than what my hon. Friend has said, certain degree of political motivation arising mainly from the ferment of ideas that is taking place in that part of the world.
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MR. SANDYS: Will the Minister tell us to what extent available information suggests that any of this trouble was instigated by the Government in Peking or other authorities in Communist China?
MRS. HART:
All of our indications are that the origins were in Hong Kong. These were local Communists in Hong Kong who took opportunities which they saw arising from a genuine labour dispute. Certainly there was later official Chinese Communist organisational involvement. For example, the Bank of China was one of the headquarters of Chinese propaganda but in the early stages, as far as we can see, although it is very difficult to know precisely there is no doubt that the origins were amongst the local Communists in Hong Kong,
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/MR. MAXWELL: