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HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 160 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMUNIST CONTOLLED STONEWORKERS UNION
WAS RELEASED WHEN A NOLLE PROSEQUI WAS ENTERED IN A CASE INVOLVING
THE MURDER OF A POLICEMAN AND THE THEFT OF HIS REVOLVER ON 9TH
DECEMBER 1967. HE WAS IMMEDIATELY DETAINED UNDER THE DEPORTATION
OF ALIENS ORDINANCE SINCE HE IS KNOWN TO HAVE SUPERVISED THE
ACTIVITIES OF TWO COMMUNIST COMBAT'' GROUPS IN THE NEW TERRIT-
ORIES, ONE OF WHICH WAS INVOLVED IN THE CASE.
3. REPORTS FROM KWANG TUNG PROVINCE INDICATE THAT THE ESTABLISH-
MENT OF A PROVINCIAL REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE IS BEING DELAYED BY
FACTIONAL CLASHES IN A NUMBER OF CITIES. THE VISIT TO CHINA OF A
NUMBER OF COMMUNIST LEADERS FROM HONG KONG MAY BE CONNECTED WITH
THE FORMATION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
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4. THE OFFER OF RICE AND CLOTHING IS UNDOUBTEDLY A MAJOR MOVE BY
CP G AUTHORITIES IN KWANG TUNG TO DEMONSTRATE THAT CHINA STILL
SUPPORTS THE STRUGGLE HERE. IT WILL PROVIDE VALUABLE PROPAGANDA
AND BOOST THE MORALE OF THE COMMUNIST RANK AND FILE. THE FIRST
MOVES ARE BEING MADE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE GOVERNMENT TO PERMIT
THE RICE TO BE IMPORTED OUTSIDE THE QUOTA AND NOT THROUGH NORMAL
CHANNELS. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE KWAGTUNG AUTHORITIES WILL
ACCEPT THE FT U PROPOSALS ABOUT SUPERVISING DISTRIBUTION OF CLOTH-
ING: IF THEY DO SO, THIS COULD PRESENT PROBLEMS.
FO PLEASE PASS ROUTINE PEKING 540
SIR D. TRENCH
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED ]·
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