CONFIDENTIAL
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130
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES No. 63
Cypher/Cat A
PRIORITY HONG KONG
TO
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Telno 119
26 January 1968
CONFIDENTIAL
Addressed to Commonwealth Office telegram No. 119 of
26 January, repeated for information to Peking.
(99) My telegram No. 1820, paragraph 8: Communist Press.
There is one outstanding problem relating to the three Communist newspapers supressed by CourtOrder in August for a period of six months. The Nall Cheong Printing Company (which printed them all) was fined 42,000 HK dollars and the Afternoon News 12,000 HK dollars. These fines were not paid.
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Every newspaper in Hong Kong is obliged to deposit
10,000 HK dollars with the Registrar of Newspapers, the money to be available to pay any fine imposed on the proprietors or printers of the newspaper or to pay damages awarded in a libel action against the paper.
The Secretary for Chinese Affairs (the Registrar of Newspapers) directed in October that the 10,000 HK dollars deposited by each of the three newspapers mentioned above be used to pay off part of the fine on the Nam Cheong Printing Company. Thus the Nam Cheong Printing Company and the Afternoon News each still owe 12,000 HK dollars in fines. Their assets consist almost solely of printing machinery which, if distrained and sold, might bring in enough to cover the fines. Warrants of distress were issued against both companies and have been awaiting execution by the Chief Bailiff. In view of the political implications of the problem, however, We have hitherto suspended action.
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It now seems that it may be the intention of these papers to resume publication as soon as the suspension period ends at the end of February and the Nam Cheong Printing Company probably intends to print them as before.
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The Registrar of Newspapers, however, has suspended the registration of all three papers, as he is entitled to do where their deposit falls below the 10,000 HK dollars required; and it is his intention not to re-register any of them until they have deposited with him sufficient money to pay off the balance of the outstanding fines plus 10,000 HK dollars clear in the case of each newspaper which wishes to start publishing again.
5. The position will be explained to any of the newspapers if and when I receive clear information that they are intending to start publication again. I do not intend, however, to take any action to distrain on the assets of any of them, unless they attempt to republish without making the deposits referred to in paragraph 4 above. We have some indication that the Hong Kong Evening News at least may not find it too easy to raise sums of this size, unless from outside sources (see my telegram 110). If they do pay
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Hong Kong telegram No. 119 to Commonwealth Office
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up, of course, there is probably nothing more I can do to prevent republication, much as I would like to.
6.
I will keep you informed of developments.
Foreign Office please pass Priority Peking 35.
Sir D. Trench
[Repetition to Peking referred for
Departmental decision]
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
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