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quite unjustified.

Among officials and the

general public there is understandably

considerable relief (and, as Mr. Davies

That

remarked, some reason for self-satisfaction)

that the communist campaign of violence has

been successfully overcome. But there are no

illusions in any quarter as to the nature of

thecontinuing communist threat that lies ahead.

That much remains to be done on the labour

front is indisputable, not only because there

is an obvious responsibility to do what we can

to improve working conditions in step with

growing economic prosperity but also because

by so doing we give the communists less

opportunity to exploit genuine grievances.

It would be nice to think that the answer is

so simple as Mr. Davies suggests in his final

contribution to the programme, i.e. higher

wages. The superficial treatment of this

issue is illustrated by the apparent

inconsistency of Mr. Davies' views at this

he does not feel that legislation

point:

is the answer but at the same time he appears

to deplore the Hong Kong Government's failure

to intervene.

e.]

Some journalists'

licence we must allow

to the programme, and I will not therefore

take issue with the statement that

"a few weeks ago hundreds of bombs were being

scattered through the Colony every day"

(though even including false alarms and hoax

bombs it is something of an overstatement for

the worst weeks in October and November).

I would add that I have already aired my

views on the s tandard of B.B.C. reporting an

Hong Kong to members of the staff of the

/Corporation

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