1/3361/46t.s.
No. 28.
Copied to:-
H.B.M. Ambassador, NANKING:- No. 48.
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT,
HONG KONG.
24th July, 1948.
12
H.B.M. Consul-General, CANTON:-
No. 69.
Secret
TOP SECRET
ん
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to paragraph 12 of the memorandum enclosed with my predecessor's confidential despatch
(24) 'bil of 28th November, 1946, and to paragraph 11 of my top secret
(5) despatch No.19 of 28th May, 1948, concerning the efforts of the
Kuomintang to obtain control of the leading independent Chinese newspaper in Hong Kong, the "Wah Kiu Yat Po" (1) (Overseas Chinese Daily News). You will recall that in 1946 the Canton authorities tried to secure the extradition of Mr. SHUM Wai-yau, (the Managing Director of the paper for his alleged collaboration with the Japanese.
2.
These efforts were unsuccessful but by various black- mailing tactics the Kuomintang eventually succeeded at the end of 1946 in securing the appointment of one of their nominees, a certain General WONG Hau-cheung (E), as publisher of the paper.
3.
Subsequently Mr. SHUM Wai-yau appears to have been successful in shaking off the Kuomintang control and the paper resumed its independent status. A ban on the paper's circulation in Canton was, however, enforced, and has continued despite persistent efforts by the management of the paper to have it removed.
4.
On 9th July, 1948, the "Wah Kiu Yat Po" appears to have succeeded in obtaining full reinstatement in the good graces of the Chinese authorities. On that date an official notification was issued by the Executive Council of the Canton Municipal Kuomintang Headquarters, addressed to the Newspaper Hawkers' Guild in that city. The text of the notification is as follows (in translation):
Uwais
5.
"With reference to the Canton Pacification Headquarters' Order No. 1401 concerning President Chiang's command ordering that the order for arrest of the Managing Director of the Wah Kiu Yat Po, SHUM Wai Yau, the Directors SHUM Hip Tong() and CHAN Kai (t), and Editor AU-YEUNG Pak Chuen (1) should be rescinded, and that the ban on the entry of the Wah Kiu Yat Po be lifted, it is hereby notified that the instructions as stated above be complied with."
This is the result of considerable activities and possibly heavy expenditure behind the scenes. It means that Mr. SHUM Wai-yau's name is removed from the official Chinese list
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
A. CREECH JONES, M.P.
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