TOP COPY
132
CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER/CAT A
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TO COMMON WEALTH OFFICE
H
TELEGRAM NO. 206
16 FEBRUARY, 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
ADDRESSED TO COMMON WEALTH OFFICE TELEGRAM NO. 206
OF 16 FEBRUARY,
REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING
MYTEL 119 COMMUNIST PRESS.
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES
19TEBA
5.3.
HWA 14/22
ALL COMMUNIST NEWSPAPERS ON 16 FEBRUARY INCLUDED AN ADVERTISEMENT ANNOUNCING THE RESUMPTION OF PUBLICATION ON 18 FEBRUARY OF THE THREE COMMUNIST NEWSPAPERS SUPPRESSED BY COURT ORDER IN AUGUST. 2. THEY APPEAR TO HAVE GENUINELY MISUNDERSTOOD THE FACT THAT ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ORIGINALLY TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED FROM 18 AUGUST THE COURT ORDERS SUSPENDING THEM FOR SIX MONTHS WERE MADE ON 29 AUGUST FOR THE AFTERNOON NEWS, 4 SEPTEMBER FOR THE HONG KONG EVENING NEWS AND 7 SEPTEMBER FOR THE TIN FUNG PO. THERE ARE INDIC- ATIONS THAT THEY INTENDED TO REMAIN WITHIN THE LAW WITH REGARD TO THE DATES OF PUBLICATION BUT NO FINES HAVE BEEN PAID BY THEM AND NO FRESH DEPOSITS MADE. THE FINANCIAL POSITION REMAINS AS IN MYTEL 119
3. THE EDITORS OF THE HONG KONG EVENING NEWS AND THE TIN KUNG FAT PO ARE STILL IN PRISON AND THE NAMES OF THE NEW EDITORS ARE NOT YET KNOWN. IT IS THEREFORE DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION WITH THE NEWSPAPERS. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HONG KONG EVENING NEWS AND A SOLICITOR ACTING FOR THE AFTERNOON NEWS HAVE HOWEVER BEEN CONTACTED AND THE PRESENT LEGAL POSITION OF THEIR NEWSPAPERS EXPLAINED TO THEM. FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS IT APPEARS THAT THE AFTERNOON NEWS IS PREPARED TO ACCEPT THE LEGAL DATE OF RESUMPTION OF PUBLICATION BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE ATTITUDE OF THE OTHER NEWSPAPERS. IN ADDITION OFFICIAL LETTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE THE NEWSPAPERS EXLAINING THE ACTION WHICH IS STILL REQUIRED OF THEM BY LAW BEFORE THEY MAY RESUME PUBLICATION.
4. I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
FOREIGN OFFICE PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATE PEKING 67
SIR D. TRENCH
[REPETITION TO PEKING REFERRED FOR
DEPARTMENTAL DECISION}
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
C.O. H.K.D.
NEWS DEPT
F.O. F.E.D.
CON FID ENTIAL
190 133
ADVANCE COPIES SENT