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COMMUNIST STORES ASSISTED GOVERNMENT WORKMEN IN REMOVING ILLEGAL ADDITIONS TO THEIR PREMISES IN THE COURSE OF SUBSEQUENT CLEARANCES IN THE SAME AREA.
(C) THE CONCLUSION OF THE 'HONG KONG PEOPLE'S ARTS AND CRAFTS EXHIBITION (PARAGRAPH 1(B) OF TELEGRAM 248). THIS EXHIBITION WAS EXTENDED FOR THREE DAYS APPARENTLY TO BOOST ATTENDANCE. HOWEVER, PUBLIC INTEREST FELL FAR SHORT OF COMMUNIST EXPECTATIONS AND THE FINAL FIGURE OF 150,000 WAS ONLY HALF OF THE FREE ADMISSION TICKETS ISSUED TO THEIR ORGANISATIONS. PARTS OF THE EXHIBITION ARE TO BE DISPLAYED IN COMMUNIST PREMISES IN FOUR MAIN DISTRICTS OF THE COLONY
IN ORDER TO INDUCE MORE WIDESPREAD INTERST.
(D) PREPARATION FOR THE CELEBRATION OF LABOUR DAY ON 1ST MAY BÝ COMMUNIST AND KUOMINTANG LABOUR ORGANISATIONS. PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THE THE PATTERN OF FUNCTIONS WILL BE GENERALLY SIMILAR TO THAT OF RECENT YEARS, BUT THOSE ARRANGED BY COMMUNIST UNIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE EXTENDED OVER A LONGER PERIOD AND TO BE LINKED TO 9TH CONGRESS
CELEBRATIONS.
(E) COMMUNIST PRESS AGITATION OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF BUS-FARE INCREASES BY THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY, WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CRITICISM BY THE RIGHT-WING AND POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT PRESS. CLEARLY PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS AN ISSUE WHICH THE COMMUNISTS HOPE TO EXPLOIT FOR ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA AND AT THE SAME TIME OBTAIN SOME POPULAR SUPPORT. MEANWHILE THE CAMPAIGN OF ANTI-POLICE PROPAGANDA (PARAGRAPH 1(C) OF TELEGRAM 287) HAS CONTINUED. (F) TWO MINOR STONINGS OF BRITISH MILITARY PERSONNEL AT THE BORDER. A SMALL GROUP OF FARMERS IN B.T. THREW STONES AT A MILITARY BORDER PATROL AND ON THE FOLLOWING DAY ANOTHER GROUP IN C.T., JOINED BY FOUR UNIFORMED C.C.A. MEMBERS, THREW STONES ACROSS THE BORDER AT A MILITARY PATROL VEHICLE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. APART FROM THESE INCIDENTS, APPARENTLY INDIVIDUAL ACTS AND THE FIRST SINCE EARLY MARCH, THE BORDER AREA HAS REAMINED QUIET.
2. WHILE THE CELEBRATIONS OF LABOUR DAY ARE LIKELY TO BE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF LAST YEAR, AND CLEARLY COMMUNIST AND KUOMINTANG LEADERS WISH TO AVOID ANY INCIDENT ON THAT DAY, THE OVERTONES OF THE 9TH CONGRESS MAY BRING INCIDENTS ON THE GROUND. THE GREATEST DANGER LIES AMONG INDIVIDUAL MILITANTS WHO DO NOT FORM PART OF
ANY TIGHTLY KNIT COMMUNIST ORGANISATIONS.
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