RESTRICTED
OCMIAN 3581
RESTRICTED
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
231515Z MAR
GRS 469
HKD BOY
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 4 MAR 1907
DENE OFFICER
PA
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 853
OF 231515Z MARCH 87
TRY
Action Taken
Mek
26013
TOP COPY
IST
43581
1
YOUR TELNO 1049: PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE
1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOW REPLIED TO SIR EDWARD
PICKERING ON LINES OF OUR TELNO 789 AS AMENDED BY TUR. THE 23
SECRETARY OF STATE'S REPLY ALSO COVERED SIR EDWARD'S FURTHER
APPROACH ON 16 MARCH, IN WHICH HE SENT THE SECRETARY OF STATE A COPY OF THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL'S ARTICLE OF 13-14 MARCH
QUOTE GAGGING HONG KONG'S FUTURE UNQUOTE.
2.
TEXT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TWO MESSAGES ABOUT THE HONG KONG PUBLIC
ORDER (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE, THE FIRST INCLUDING THE TEXT OF LORD
ARDWICK'S MESSAGE TO THE ACTING GOVERNOR, THE SECOND ENCLOSING AN
ARTICLE FROM THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL.
AS YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THIS IS PRIMARILY A MATTER FOR THE
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. I SHOULD HOWEVER MAKE TWO POINTS. FIRST
THE LEGISLATION PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 11 MARCH
INCLUDED THE REPEAL OF A NUMBER OF STRINGENT PROVISIONS OF THE
CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE THAT HAD BEEN
PART OF THE LAWS OF HONG KONG FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WHICH HAVE NOT
PREVENTED THE HONG KONG MEDIA FROM BEING AMONG THE MOST FREE AND
OUTSPOKEN IN ASIA. IN REVIEWING THIS LEGISLATION AND DECIDING
UPON THESE REPEALS, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED THAT IN
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