L.D. 134 4400162
10,000-11/66-B52205
DCL's personal copy
LABOUR DEPARTMENT
NEWS AND COMMENTS ON LABOUR MATTERS TRANSĻATED FROM THE LOCAL CHINESE PRESS
Distribution list:
H.E. the Governor
Honourable Colonial Secretary
Honourable Secretary for Chinese Affairs
Commissioner of Police (for Director, Special Branch)
Director of Information Services Registrar of Trade Unions
Wen Wei Po
7th June, 1967
Opposition and work-stoppages in profusion
(Editorial)
More and more protests and stoppages of work have been staged in many trades. Our brother-workers, the main force of our anti-violence army, action again yesterday to upset the appetite and sleep of Trench, the chief
took culprit, and to make the devilish policies and stinking 'regulations' of Fascism go bankrupt.
Patriotic workers and their patriotic compatriots resolutely announced: "You may have your 'emergency regulations', but we have our means of opposition too."
And they did what they said, keeping the wolves, the eagles and the dogs busy and scaring them out of their wits. Did the British authorities in Hong Kong not brag that they would clean up all posters and slogans overnight? Did they not declare that all 'inflammatory' propaganda in show-windows were to be taken down by force? But the fact is: the posters and slogans have not been completely removed, while more and more are still being put up; the show-cases have not been pulled down by force, but remain as secure as ever, despite the threats.
Over a thousand workers of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co. stopped work yesterday and staged a demonstration parade. Their posters appeared high on the cranes and drawbridges, and the whole of the Kowloon Wharf was turned into an ocean of slogans. Once again, the workers of the Star Ferry Co. displayed posters from cabin to funnel. When these posters and slogans were scraped off at night, the workers acted quickly and resolutely. They again ⠀⠀⠀ walked out of their job in protest.
9
To uphold national dignity, the workers of the Hongkong Electric Co. and the Taikoo Dockyard angrily tried and reprimanded their European bosses and managers. The management of the Hongkong Electric Co. tore down joint extra editions of the Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao which carried the editorial of the People's Daily of June 3rd. A serious protest was raised by the workers because, to them, this removal of the Chinese people's paper is a provocation and an in- sult to their race. They demanded an apology from the management. "Who incited you into coming?" asked the European boss. "We are here in response to the call of our Fatherland," replied the worke rs in a heroic spirit. Righteously and solemnly they pointed out: "To tear away the paper of the Chinese people is to smear our national dignity. We shall certainly not let the matter drop."
The tally-clerks launched a four-hour stoppage of work yesterday to hit back at Hong Kong British provocation. As a result, all loading and unloading of cargo came to a halt on 35 ocean-liners in Hong Kong harbour. "If the H.K. British authorities still refuse to yield, our actions will be escalated," the
/tally-clerks.......
Serial: 104 of 7th June, 1967
Page 150Page 151