SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO.2146 TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
-3-
RALLIES, NEVERTHELESS, INDOCTRINATION OF STUDENTS CONTINUES THROUGH
THE MEDIUM OF LESSONS WHICH STILL HAVE A HEAVY POLITICAL BIAS.
LATEST RETURNS OF THE COMMUNIST SCHOOLS INDICATE AN INCREASED
ENROLMENT SINCE MARCH OF 6,600 COMPARED WITH THE ESTIMATED INCREASE
OF 7,280 (PARAGRAPH 1(A) OF TELEGRAM 1883). COMMUNIST NEWSPAPER
CIRCULATION HAS IMPROVED SLIGHTLY ALSO AND NOW STANDS AT 265,00%
COMPARED WITH 258,000 LAST MONTH SEMICOLON THIS RISE IS BELIEVED TO
LE DUE MORE TO A GOOD RACING TIPSTER AND GREATER EMPHASIS ON ARTICLES
OF POPULAR APPEAL IN THE LESS DOCTRINAIRE NEWSPAPERS THAN TO THEIR
POLITICAL CONTENT, LOCAL COMMUNIST PUBLISHING AND FILM CIRCLES APPEAR
TO BE MAKING VERY LITTLE PROGRESS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO RECOVER MARKETS
LOST AS A RESULT OF CONFRONTATION SEMICOLON ALTHOUGH THE ATTEMPTS
BY BANKING AND COMMERCIAL SPHERES TO IMPROVE BUSINESS HAVE MET WITH
UMITED SUCCESS, THEY HAVE NOT IN GENERAL YET PEGAINED THE PRE-
CONFRONTATON LEVEL OF BUSINESS. IN SHORT, THE COMMUNISTS ARE STILL
MEETING WITH VERY LITTLE SUCCESS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THEIR
SHARE OF THE COLONY'S PROSPERITY AND TO CAIN A WIDER BASE OF SUPPORT
MONG THE COMMUNITY.
SIR D. TRENCH.
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED] [PASSED TO CABINET OFFICE).
ADVANCE COPIES SENT:
FILES:
HONG KONG DEPT P.U.S.D.
FAR EASTERN DEPT
GUIDANCE DEPT
SIR J. JOHNSTON
SIR A. GALSWORTHY
MR. MORETON
INFORMATION RESEARCH DEPT
P.S. TO LORD SHEPHERD
OVERSEAS LABOUR ADVISER
OVERSEAS POLICE ADVISER
Kaladabide
:
SECRET
AR
- 5NOV 1968
HIKIS/2