SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 40 TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
3
POLICE
OF WATER PIPES IN RESETTLEMENT ESTATE ACCOMMODATION.
EMEN
TAKING ACTION ON THE STREETS FOR MINOR OFFENCES WERE ABUSED
IN THREE OTHER INSTANCES. WHILST ALL INCIDENTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SPONTANEOUS THEY ILLUSTRATE THE EFFECT OF COMMUNIST ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROPAGANDA ON LOCAL MILITANTS AND THE DANGERS
OF THEIR DEVELOPING INTO SERIOUS CLASHES BETWEEN COMMUNISTS AND
THE SECURITY FORCES.
(G)
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE STAFF OF A LEADING COMMUNIST NEWSPAPER OF THE NEED TO EDIT NEWS FROM CHINA, TO MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE' LOCALLY AND TO SOLICIT ADVERTISING FROM FOREIGN FIRMS WITH NO
ANOTHER ATTEMPT BAR ON THOSE DEALING IN AMERICAN PRODUCTS.
TO IMPROVE THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF COMMUNIST CONCERNS IS AN INSTRUCTION IN PUBLISHING CIRCLES THAT POSTERS AND POLITICAL SLOGANS ON DISPLAY MUST BE TONED DOWN SO AS NOT TO DETER NON-COMMUNIST CUSTOMERS.
(H) THE UNEXPLAINED RECALL TO CHINA OF FIVE C.P.G. APPOINTED
OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS SENIOR COMMUNIST BANKING OFFICIALS. APPEAR TO BE WORRIED AND IT IS THOUGHT IN BANKING CIRCLES THAT THERE MAY BE FURTHER TRANSFERS IN THE NEAR FUTURE PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF CRITICISM FROM PEKING.
2. THE EFFORTS IN COMMUNIST EDUCATION CIRCLES TO RECRUIT MORE STUDENTS BOTH FOR THE NEW YU HUA SCHOOL AND FOR OTHER SCHOOLS, AND THEIR CULTIVATION OF NON-COMMUNIST STUDENTS HIGHLIGHT THE CONTINUED AIM OF THE LOCAL COMMUNIST HIERARCHY TO EXPAND IN THIS FIELD. CLEARLY, THE CHINESE NEW YEAR PERIOD WILL SEE AN INTENSIFIED UNITED FRONT DRIVE AND ALTHOUGH THE ART EXHIBITION, THE NEW YEAR SALES AND THE LARGE RURAL PICNICS AND RALLIES ARE UNLIKELY TO ATTRACT LARGE NUMBERS OF NON-COMMUNISTS, THEY WILL PROVIDE FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE AN IMPRESSION OF COMMUNIST XSTRENGTH AND SOLIDARITY AND MAY WIN OVER SOME WAVERING ELEMENTS. (F.C.O. PLS PASS TO WASHINGTON AND CANBERRA)
SIR D. TRENCH
REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
FILE S
H.K.DEPT.
MR. MORETON
P.U.S.D.
F.E.D.
GUIDANCE DEPT. SIR J. JOHNSTON SIR A. GAL SWORTHY
NNNNN
1.R.D.
PiS. TO LORD SHEPHERD
O.L.A.
O.P.A.
SECRET
ADVANCE COPIES SENT