193
mmimm
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.882/11
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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and the result was very satisfactory. Those who were successfully elected to the Committee were the representatives of the Seamen's Union, the Tea House Workmen's Association, the Restaurant Workers' General Labour Union, the Chi Ping Pork-Butchers' Association, the Beef, Mutton and Vegetables Labour Association, the Wun Yin Hair- dressers Association, the Coxswains' and Engineers' Association, the Association of Chinese in Foreign Employment, the Electric Tram- way Labourers' Association, the Coal Labourers' General Labour Union, the Tung Tak Cargo Coolies' Association, the Ping Lok Rattan Work. men's Association, the Fon Yin Boarding House Workmen's Associa- tion, the Hoi Luk Li Fo Tally-men's Association, the Fresh-fish Workmen's Association, the Kung Ping Association (Nam Pak Hong Workmen's), the Fruit and Vegetables Workmen's Association, the King Yuen Chinese Compositors' Association, the Dried and Roast Meat Workmen's Association, the Tung Lok Pit Shu (Government Civil Hospital Coolies' Guild), the Women's Labour Association and the Carpenters' Association. While we were rejoicing over the acqui. sition of some responsible officers for the reconstruction of the Union, at 7 p.m. on the 1st April after the completion of our election, the Hong Kong Government suddenly despatched several tens of British soldiers and Chinese detectives to make a forcible entry into the Union. They first searched our members and prohibited any of them froni entering or leaving. They then seized all the property in the Union and took it away. The members then in the Union were not allowed to leave until 3 a.m. on the following day. These are the true facts in connection with the search made by the Hong Kong Government on that day.
"The opening of the ballots in the Union on that day was under the supervision of six Chinese detectives sent by the Hong Kong Government, and was conducted in a regular and peaceable manner. Should there have been any breach of law, it would have been sup- pressed immediately. The result of the election was also duly published in the Hong Kong Press on the following day, and this shows clearly that the election was held with the permission of the Hong Kong Government and all the populace of the Colony. It further proves that the general meeting and public election held in our Union were considered legal by the Hong Kong Government and that nothing was being done contrary to the laws of Hong Kong, We do not know what special reason the Hong Kong Government had for their action against our Union at 7 p.m. on the 1st April. The populace is filled with fear and we are at a loss to know what to do. Therefore we are compelled to send you this letter, begging that you will ask the Central Kuomintang Department and the Nationalist Government to make a grave protest to the British Consul-General and publish the facts to all the people of our country, and ask them to lend us assistance, so that our Union may be protected in the interests of our fellow-countrymen here. We look to you with all eagerness.'
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Now the Kung Tun Taung Wui (the General Labour Union) is our own Union in Hong Kong under a disguised name. In order to avoid the interference by the Hong Kong Government we had all our labour movements in Hong Kong designated by our original name
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(the All-Hong Kong Labour Union). The Kung Tun Tsung Wui is the chief union of all labour associations in Hong Kong, and has led all our workmen in Hong Kong in our revolution. It won a great success during the strike., It is therefore a powerful weapon in Hong Kong for the overthrow of Imperialism there, and it has led the van in our Nationalist Revolution there. Now while the Union is planning to intensify the common spirit of its members and to consolidate their forces to fight a life and death battle with the Imperialists in Hong Kong, unfortunately the Hong Kong Government in a most vindictive spirit has dealt with it by drastic measures and closed it down by force. This is not only a great blow to all workmen and all our fellow-countrymen in Hong Kong, but inflicts also great damage on the course of the Revolution. If steps are not taken to lend assistance, the career of our labour movement in Hong Kong will be destroyed and all our fellow-countrymen in Hong Kong will have for ever to remain in as miserable a condition as that of flood or conflagration and pass their lives like cattle or horses.
In view of this, we find it necessary to submit all the particulars to you and beg that you will at once send a grave representation on the subject to the Consul-General in Canton, asking him to order the Government of Hong Kong to reinstate the Kung Tun Tsung Wui immediately and to guarantee that no such action will be repeated in future, so that our fellow-countrymen may be enabled to enjoy all freedom of speech and assembly. We shall then be ever grateful.
THE ALL-HONG KONG LABOUR UNION.
To
Chen, the Foreign Minister. Dated 4th April (1927).
ENCLOSURE 3 IN No. 10.
THE STEAMBOAT COMPANY.
At a meeting this morning (4th April, 1927) with His Excellency
at Government House, the following were present:-
Mr. Weall, Dodwell and Co., Chairman of Directors, Steam- boat Co.
Mr. Staples Smith (Canton), Director.
Mr. Paterson, Jardine Matheson and Co., Director.
Mr. Johnson, Mackinnon Mackenzie, Director.
Chevalier Alves, Director.
Sir R. Ho Tung, Director.
Mr. N. S. Brown, Butterfield and Swire: Mr. Thayer, Butter- field and Swire:-This firm owns the Fatshan and three-eighths of one other river steamer (Kinshun) and three-eighths of the wharf property at Hong Kong and Canton. The actual running of all the steamers is in the hands of the Steamboat Directors, Butterfield and Swire not being represented on the Directorate.
Hon. Secretary for Chinese Affairs (Mr. E. R. Hallifax, C.M.G., C.B.E.).