SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1820 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
2
PREVENT THE USE OF THE PREMISES FOR ILLEGAL PURPOSES RATHER THAN
E.G. INSTRUCTION IN THE THOUGHTS OF MAO SEMICOLON AND WE SHALL TAKE
THE GREATEST CARE IN FUTURE CAS HITHERTO) TO ENSURE THAT RAIDS TAKE
}
PLACE ONLY WHEN WE HAVE THE CLEAREST REASON TO BELIEVE THAT OFFENCES
ARE BEING COMMITTED IN A PARTICULAR SCHOOL.
5. THE ACTION AGAINST CHUNG WAH SCHOOL WAS NOT 'PUNITIVE'.
τωό
PUPILS
AND STAFF OF THE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN BREACHES
OF THE LAW SEMICOLON TWO TEACHERS AND SEVENTEEN PUPILS HAVE BEEN
. ARRESTED FOR 'STRUGGLE' OFFENCES SINCE SEPTEMBER SEMICOLON AND WHEN
WE GOT SUCH VERY DRAMATIC AND PUBLIC EVIDENCE THAT THE PREMISES
WERE BEING USED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVES WE HAD NO OPTION
BUT TO TAKE ACTION.EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY ADVISED THE DEREGISTRATION
OF THE CHUNG WAH SCHOOL AND, THE HEADMASTER AND TEACHERS SEMICOLON BUT THE TIMING OF THE DEREGISTRATIONS AND THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE
BEEN LEFT TO MY DISCRETION: AND I WILL TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION UNTIL
I HEAR FURTHER FROM YOU. IF THE SCHOOL IS NOT TO BE DEREGISTERED..
·
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, HOWEVER, IT IS HARD TO THINK OF ANY MORE
VALID GROUNDS FOR THE DEREGISTRATION OF A SCHOOL.
6. I COULD ALSO RECONSIDER THE DETENTION OF THE HEADMASTER WONG CHO-
FAN LATER: BUT I DOUBT IF. I COULD BOTH RELEASE HIM AND NOT DEREGISTER
THE SCHOOL.
1
7. THE PRESS. THE MAJOR DIFFICULTY HERE IS THAT 'WEN WEI PAO' HAVE ALREADY IN EFFECT 'DARED' US, TO CONTINUE THE ACTION CMY TELEGRAM 1771 PARAGRAPH 1 REFERS) AND HAVE PROPHESIED THAT WE SHALL NOT DO
SO BECAUSE WE ARE FRIGHTENED OF THE CONSEQUENCES. NEVERTHELESS,
PROPAGANDA CLAIMS OF THIS SORT BY THE COMMUNISTS NO LONGER CUT TOO '. MUCH ICE IN HONG KONG SEMICOLON AND I AM PREPARED TO ASK OLIVIER IF,
IN VIEW OF THE APPARENT BEARING OF HIS CASE ON THE TREATMENT OF THE
STAFF IN PEKING, HE WOULD BE PREPARED TO WAIVE THE CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AS PROPOSED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF PEKING TELEGRAM 298. ASSESSMENT OF
DAMAGES IS DUE ON DECEMBER 14, BUT I AM ADVISED THAT IT WOULD BE AS
WELL TO DISCONTINUE THE ACTION BEFORE THE DAY SET FOR THE HEARING.
IF THIS CONCESSIO
STON TIED ANY USEFUL EFFECT ON THE C.P.G, I WOULD BE
PREPARED TO