0003160 G.F. 316
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dismissed by management for taking part in the fights. On 21st February the left-wing press published a vitriolic attack on police for alleged partisanship in dealing with the cases, It was alleged that police had protected the assailants (the right- wing workers) and assaulted the victims (the left-wing workers).
8.
Towards the end of the month a dispute developed in the Kowloon Motor Bus Company over a decision to extend a bus route without compensating adjustment of schedules. After a token strike, lasting for some two hours, on 20th February by the drivers on the route, the management agreed to see if a re-adjustment of schedule was necessary. The left-wing Motor Transport Workers' General Union (Kowloon Bus Branch) (claimed membership, 3,100; paid up membership, 2,200), which was approached by the workers for assistance in the dispute, refused to participate and instructed the employees to carry out negotiations direct with the management. The disputes in the cement factory and the taxi firm (paragraph 7 of L. I.C. Report for January, 1967) continue.
9.
The main subject for discussion in left-wing circles during the month was the confrontation of the R. I.L. by the Hong Kong Seamen's Union. Meetings were held at which support for the union and the crew members of the "Straat Malakka" was expressed, and "imperialists" condemned for their repression of Chinese sedmen. It was claimed that this could not be done in the "age of MA and that workers, armed with his thoughts, were invincible. The left-wing press also vehemently supported the campaign by giving it front page coverage and publishing letters from individuals; and unions in Hong Kong and Macau which condemned the R.I.1. and other imperialists". (See paragraphs 2 and 3 above.)
9
At
10.
Other major topics discussed in left-wing circles were the C. P.G's. campaign against Soviet "revisionism", the Cultural Revolution and the study of the thoughts of MAO. During the first half of the month a series of meetings was held by local communist organisations at which the alleged assault on Chinese students in Moscow on 25th January, was strongly condemned. On the 15th February a coloured picture and 13 photographs entitled "Soviet Revisionist Bloody Supression of Chinese Students' Studying in Europe" were exhibited at the C.N.A.C. (see paragraph 3 above). The Cultural Revolution was discussed in left-wing commercial, newspaper and educational circles, although local communists still appear to have no clear picture of what is actually happening in China. the end of January, an assurance was given to senior officials of the Wen Wei Pao, a leading left-wing paper, by the General Manager that the Cultural Revolution would not spread to Hong Kong; at the same meeting it was stated that "work in the paper's Canton office was at a standstill owing to the Cultural Revolution". yet another meeting it was stated that no re-organisation of any sort could be carried out in China without the consent of the Cultural Revolution Committee; this was a move to tighten control of reactionaries in the Red Guards. In mid-February a leading left-wing newspaper claimed that 1967 would see the elimination of all reactionaries in China and the triumph of the Cultural Revolution. Despite the ban on Lunar New Year celebrations in
4 all local left-wing organisations gave their employees thei- normal holiday this year.
11.
At
Visits to Canton are still being organised by local communist circles. On one such visit, the students from a communist controlled school were informed prior to their departure that they would be checked by the Hong Kong authorities at the border and that under no circumstances were they to reveal the school which they attended. This particular group attended a "Resistance against Japan k
exhibition in Canton which staged
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/performances