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16 FEBRUARY, 1968
HWBY H
HONG KONG TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NO. 20
UNCLASSIFIED
ADDSD PEKING TELNO 65 OF 16 FEE RFI CO
YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT OUR SHUNTING ENGINE WHICH CROSSES
THE BORDER AT SHUM CHUN WAS REPLACED LAST NIGHT AS A MATTER
OF ROUTINE.
WHEN IT CROSSED THE BORDER THIS MORNING ON ITS SECOND TRIP AT
ABOUT 9 AM IT WAS STOPPED.
*
TWO CHINESE CUSTOMS OFFICERS PAINTED A NUMBER OF SLOGANS ON
•
UNLESS
THE BODY OF THE ENGINE AND THREATENED THE DRIVER THAT
THE TWO PORTRAITS OF CHAIRMAN MAO WHICH HAD FOR SOME WEEKS
BEEN DISPLAYED ON THE REPLACED ENGINE, WERE FLACED ON THE
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NEW ENGINE IT WOULD BE DETAINED BY THEM NEXT TIME IT CROSSED.
2. AS A RESULT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WAS PASSED TO THE NEW
CHINA NEWS AGENCY THIS, MORNING FOR TRANSMISSION TO THE SHUM
CHUM BORDER AUTHOFITES + A CHINESE CUSTOMS OFFICIAL AT SHUM
CHUN THIS MORNING MADE A THREAT THAT OUR SHUNTING ENGINE WOULD
BE DETAINED ON THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE LORDET.
IF THIS THREAT WERE TO PE CARRIED OUT THERE WOULD BE SERIOUS
INTERFERENCE WITH NORMAL BAIL TRAFFIC ACROSS THE BORDER.+
3. WHEN THE ENGINE NEXT CHOSSES TO SHUM CHUN THIS AFTERNOON,
THE DRIVER HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE TWO PORTRAITS ACROSS
IN HIS CAB AND HAND THEM OVER.
SIR D. TRENCH
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K.D.
F. E. & P.D.
I. & G.D.
D.T.C.D. J.I.P.G.D. J.I.R.D. NEWS DEPT F.O. F.E.D.
NEWS DEPT
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