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HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO.569 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
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THE COLONY ILLEGALLY AND ATTEMPTED TO PERSUADE 4 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
TO RETURN TO CHINA 2 WERE REPATRIATED VOLUNTARILY. POLICE ARRESTED
THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND ALLOWED THE COMMUNSE MEMBERS TO RETURN
TO CHINA. THE SAME DAY A C T REGISTERED JUNK ASKED A HONG KONG
POLICE PATROL FOR ASSISTANCE TO INTERCEPT A SAMPAN CONTAINING A
CHINESE MALE. THE MAN ESCAPED TO B T BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED BUT
THE SAMPAN WAS RETURNED TO THE C T JUNK BY POLICE.
2. WHILE THE COMMUNIST DELEGATIONS SEEKING REINSTATEMENT CONTINUE
TO REMAI GENERALLY ORDERLY AND SUIET, THE TEMPO OF THEIR VISITS IS
INCREASING, WITH THE APPARENT OBJECT OF WEARING DOWN RESISTANCE TO
THEIR DEMANDS AND THUS OBTAIN RE-EMPLOYMENT OF AT LEAST SOME WORK-
ERS. SO FAR THE MAJOR COMPANIES HAVE MAINTAINED A UNITED FRONT IN
REFUSING TO RE-EMPLOY THE STRIKERS EN MASSE, THOUGH IN SCHE CASES
THEY HAVE INTIMATED THEY WILL CONSIDER INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS FOR
EMPLOYMENT. THE GOOD DISCIPLINE AND CONTROL MAINTAINED BY UNION
LEADERS MAY BECOME MORE DIFFICULT IF DELEGATIONS CONTINUE TO,
INCREASE IN SIZE AND FREQUENCY.
3. THE QUIET MANNER IN WHICH LABOUR DAY CELEBRATIONS WERE CONDUCTED
BY COMMUNIST ORGANISATIONS, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE PROPAGATION OF
MAO'S THOUGHTS, INDICATES THAT THE COMMUNIST HIERARCHY IS ANXIOUS
TO AVOID TROUBLE AND THIS IS FURTHER DEMONSTRATED BY THE DECISION
NOT TO HOLD ANY FUNCTIONS TO MARK THE START OF CONFRONTATION. YEUNG
KWONG'S SPEECH WHICH CAN BE REGARDED AS AN IMPORTANT POLICY STATE-
MENT GAVE NO INDICATION OF ANY GENERAL CHANGE IN PRESENT COMMUNIST
TACTICS. THE FIRST PUBLIC REFERENCE, BY A MAINLAND BODY, TO REIN-
STATEMENT OF STRIKERS, COUPLED WITH RENEWED
DEMANDS FOR THE IMPORT OF GIFT RICE, CONTAINED IN THE STATEMENT
ISSUED BY KWANGTUNG SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON 4TH MAY, WILL NO DOUBT
BOOST THE MORALE OF LOCAL COMMUNIST RANK AND FILE, AND MAY FOR-
SHADOW INCREASED PRESSURE FROM CHINA ON BOTH ISSUES.
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