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HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 674 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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5. THE MARKED INCREASE IN DELEGATIONS TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS LAST WEEK WAS POSSIBLY DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE TO GOVERNMENT, FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S RETURN FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, THAT THE COMMUNISTS DO NOT INTEND TO ABANDON THEIR CAMPAIGN FOR REINSTATEMENT. THE SPEECHES AT THE RALLY OF 'STRIKERS' CPARAGRAPH (C) ABOVE) INDICATE, ONCE AGAIN, THAT THE COMMUNISTS REGARD THE K.M.B. 'STRIKERS', WHO REPRESENT THE LARGEST BLOCK OF DISMISSED WORKERS, AS THE SPEARHEAD OF THEIR RETURN TO WORK CAMPAIGN. AN INCREASE CAN THEREFORE BE EXPECTED AGAINST COMMUNIST ACTIVITY DIRECTED AGAINST THIS COMPANY. THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE DECISION BY THE DOCKYARD UNION TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN ENLARGED DELEGATIONS AND THE M.T.W.U. DIRECTIVE REGARDING LORRY IDENTIFICATION, COULD HEIGHTEN THE RISK OF MINOR INCIDENTS ON THE GROUND.
CO PLEASE PASS PEKING 256, WASHINGTON 65, AND CANBERRA 49.
SIR D. TRENCH
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[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
[ADVANCE AND TYPED COPIES, SENT TO CABINET OFFICE]
ADVANCE COPIES SENT
C.Q.
H.K. DEPT.
P.A.D.
F.E. & P.D.
I.P.D.
I.R.D.
P.S. TO LORD SHEPHERD
SIR A. GALSWORTHY
MR. MASON
F.0. F.E. DEPT.
SIR D. ALLEN.
WILKINSON.
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MR.
Q.L.A.
O.P.A.
D.I.S. M.O.D.
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