CONFIDENTIAL
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE VIA FCO
TNPRIORITY
TO ROUTINE GOVERNOR
ce. W Ritzeyear.
P.A
LAST BA
Resent co
TO FCO
543
1 & Lily:
MYTEL HK525 OF 1 JULY.
AS ALREADY MENTIONED IN TELCON SLIMMING/KIDD, THERE HAVE
BEEN FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE GREENWICH YOUNG
PEOPLE'S THEATRE PRODUCTION.
2.
FIRSTLY, A MEETING WAS CALLED, AT SHORT NOTICE,
AT THE THEATRE ON TUESDAY NIGHT TO DISCUSS THE PRODUCTION,
AND WE WERE INVITED TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE.
AFTER CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION, I DECIDED AGAINST ATTENDING MYSELF OR SENDING
A SENIOR OFFICER, ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
TO AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO PUBLIC DEBATE WITH KNOWN POLITICAL
OPPONENTS OF BRITISH RULE IN HONG KONG. AS WE HEARD AFTERWARDS,
WALTER EASEY WHO WAS PRESENT, HAD HOPED FOR JUST SUCH A
CONFRONTATION. I DECIDED INSTEAD TO SEND WITT, THE ASSISTANT
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, AS AN OBSERVER, ON THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT HE WOULD NOT TAKE PART IN ANY DISCUSSION.
ты
MR. STEWART /
AGREED WITH WITH WHOM I HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE TOUCH ON THIS MATTER, APPROVED
WITH THIS COURSE OF ACTION.
3.
THE MEETING BEGAN WITH A SCREENING OF THE GRANADA
TELEVISION "WORLD IN ACTION" DOCUMENTARY ON CHILD LABOUR IN
HONG KONG, AND THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A PERFORMANCE OF THE PLAY
"EMPIRE MADE". IN THE DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS, SCANT ATTENTION
WAS PAID BY THE EDUCATIONISTS PRESENT TO THE HONG KONG SUBJECT
MATTER, BUT THE PLAY WAS CRITICISED ON ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL
GROUNDS, AND FOR THE LACK OF BALANCE IN ITS PRESENTATION OF
"FACTS".
SIMILAR REACTIONS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE COME FROM
TEACHERS WHO HAD SEEN THE PLAY WITH THEIR CLASSES.