94095/7/11/49
En clair
No. 1005
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM S, OF S.
COLONIES
TO HONG KONG (Sir A. Grentham)
Sent 30th July, 1949. 13.30 hrs.
33
Addressed Governor, Hong Kong
Repeated Ambassador, Nanking
** Consul-General, Shanghai.
28
My telegram No. 959, not repeated to Shanghal.
Following is extract from Official Report
for 27th July relating to Question by Mr. Gammams. Begina.
Mr. Gammana asked the Secretary of State for
the Colonies why permission is given to Communists in Hong Kong to continue the publication of newspapers and pamphlets in viow of the closing by the Communist authorities in Shanghai of the British Information Service.
Mr. Rees-Williams: i t'has been the consistent policy of the Hong Kong Government to permit freedom of the Press and of publication to all shades of opinion provided activities contrary to the law or prejudicial to public security in Hong Kong are not indulged in. In general, these limits have not been overstepped. The restrictive tendencies of the Communist administration in China in relation to the freedom of news and information services are, however, naturally being closely etched both by His Majesty's Government and by the Goy rnment of Hong Kong« Ends.
2, Fuller extract containing supplementary see exchanges follows by savingram.
94095/7PQ.1
(Coples sent to Foreign Office for tranmission
to Nanking and Shanghai)