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Outward Telegram from Commonwealth Relations Office
TO: U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN CANADA
U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN AUSTRALIA U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN NEW ZEALAND U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN SOUTH AFRICA U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN INDIA U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN PAKISTAN U.K. HIGH COMMISSIONER IN CEYLON
(Dated 4th March, 1952)
27/12/01
Y.No.65 SAVING UNCLASSIFIED
Begins.
My Y.No.63 Saving.
DISTURBANCES IN HONG KONG
Following statement was issued in Hong Kong on 2nd.
TH
In view of various rumours in circulation concerning the facts leading up to the incidents of yesterday afternoon, it is considered that a statement should be issued of the facts, which are:-
In all, three vague unofficial approaches were made within the last fortnight to ascertain whether a Comfort Mission from Canton could enter Hong Kong. In each case those concerned were told plainly that permission would not be given for a Comfort Mission, as such, to enter the Colony. During this period, speculative stories of various kinds appeared in the local Chinese Press, and Labour Unions and other organisations proceeded with extensive preparations to take part in an organised welcome programme. On Wednesday, 27th February, Mr. Percy Chen enquired whether representatives of the donors of the money collected in Canton, as distinct from a Comfort Mission, would be allowed entry on the following day. He was informed that if written application were made, and a programme submitted, consideration would be given to such a request, but that a Comfort Mission would not be admitted, and that, even if permission were given to representatives of the donors, their visit could not take place before the 9th March. This was the position on the night of Friday 29th February. It would appear that, in the meantime, no information had been given to the Labour Unions or others interested regarding the true position. As far as they knew, March 1st was the firm date for the Comfort Mission's arrival. On the morning of Saturday, 1st March, Government sources were informed about 11.30 a.m. that the Chinese Chamber of Commerce had been advised, by telephone from Canton, that the proposed visit of the Comfort Mission was postponed. It is understood that this information was passed to the Federation of Trade Unions. None the less, it seems, in the light of subsequent events, that the rank and file of the Unions and others concerned continued to be kept in ignorance of the true position, and consequently followed the set programme by assembling at the railway station at Kowloon in time to greet the 3 p.m. train on which they had been led to expect that the Mission would arrive. In the meantime, a welcome party had set out for the border earlier in the morning. This party did not possess passes for the frontier zone, and were therefore held on its perimeter. Mr. Yk Mok was, however, allowed to proceed to the border and later returned with his welcome party
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