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(9) THE RELEASE OF FOUR EMERGENCY DETAINEES ON 21ST DECEMBER (PARA-
-GRAPH 2 OF TELEGRAM 2281) WITH ROUTINE COVERAGE IN COMMUNIST
PRESS AND USUAL WELCOME PARTIES. THE CONDITION OF THE EX-DETAINEE
WHO IS UNDER-GOING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL CPARAGRAPH
1(B) OF TELEGRAM 2269 AND PARAGRAPH 1 OF TELEGRAM 2281) IS
REPORTED TO BE IMPROVING.
(C) THE ARREST OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SHA TAU KOK ANTI-PERSECUTION
STRUGGLE COMMITTEE WHO RETURNED TO HONG KONG AFTER SOME 18 MONTHS'
REFUGE IN C.T. SEMICOLON HE NOW AWAITS HIS TRIAL FOR RIOT OFFENCES
COMMITTED IN JUNE AND JULY 1967 (TELEGRAMS 905/67, PARAGRAPH 1(E)
OF 945/67 AND 988/67).
(D) CONTINUED UNEVENTFUL INSPECTION OF COMMUNIST SCHOOLS. SOME NON-
COMMUNIST STUDENTS ATTENDED SPORTS DISPLAYS AND FUNCTIONS ORGANISED
RECENTLY BY TWO COMMUNIST SCHOOLS CPARAGRAPH 1(E) OF TELEGRAM NO
22699.
(E) THE REGISTRATION OF THENEW YU WA SCHOOL, WHICH WILL BE HOUSED
IN THE PREMISES PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED BY THE DE-REGISTERED CHUNG
WA MIDDLE SCHOOL CPARAGRAPH 1CE) OF TELEGRAM 2269). THE MANAGERS
ARE PROMINENT LOCAL COMMUNISTS, NONE OF WHOM HAD ANY OFFICIAL
CONNECTION WITH THE CHUNG WA. HOWEVER IT IS EXPECTED THAT EFFORTS
WILL BE MADE TO EMPLOY EX-CHUNG WA TEACHERS IN THE YU WA.
(F) THE PAYMENT OF ONE ADDITIONAL MONTHS' 'STRIKE PAY' TO 'STRIKING'
MEMBERS OF THE LARGEST BRANCH OF THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION UNION
AND TO MEMBERS OF THE TWO PUBLIC UTILITY UNIONS SEMICOLON TRAMWORKERS
UNION OFFICIALS HAVE AGREED TO CONSIDER FURTHER PAYMENTS BUT HAVE
NOT YET MADE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT. THESE PAYMENTS, WHICH REVERSE
PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING THE CESSATION OF 'STRIKE-PAY',
ARE DESIGNED TO PREVENT MASS DESERTIONS FROM THE UNIONS SEMICOLON
IT IS POSSIBLE OTHER UNIONS WILL FOLLOW SUIT, AT LEAST UNTIL
CHINESE NEW YEAR IN MID-FEBRUARY.
(G) AN INCREASING NUMBER OF COMMUNIST PICNIC PARTIES TO THE
RURAL AREAS SEMICOLON 23 GROUPS THE LARGEST OF ABOUT 1,300 PERSONS
HAVE VISITED THE NEW TERRITORIES DUNG THE LAST TWO WEEKS. IN ONE
AREA PICNICKERS JOINED LOCAL COMMUNIST VILLAGERS IN ORGANISING
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