CO537-3705 — Page 52

Cypher (0.T.P.)

168

INWARD TELEGRAM

TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

COPY FOR REGISTRATION

FROM HONG KONG(Sir A.Grantham)

D. 31st January 1947.

31 at

Ro

辈辈

09.40 hra.

*

1 X X

28

1 I

1948

�

ΠΛ

JA

Liv

REGISTRY

Λ

IN

OFIVED

No.133

Addressed to S. of 3.

Repeated to British Ambassador Nanking, No.42.

Canton as secret savingram.

"

(73)

My telegram No.98.

Kowloon City.

now

Squattare, of whom a hard core of 40 or 50 remain,

Considerable amounts seem to be organised on a long term basia. of rice and money are being received as contributions from bodies in Canton, Hong Kong and Macao. On 29th January, 20,000 catties of rice (about 12 tons) presented by Kuangtung Provisional Government was distributed, "Comfort missions and sympathizers also visit the city constantly to encourage the squatters to romain.

2. On 28th January, a "comfort party" of students and teachers from Po On normal school put up a poster at the Walled City calling for compensation for eviction, punishment of police for shooting, etc. Language of the poster was

objectionable and somewhat inflammatory, although not (repeat not) directly seditious. I have decided to ignora

**

it and not (repeat not) to pull it down, since this might only be made an excuse for further exaggerated agitation. Continual güccession of "comfort missions" and pinpricks

of this nature, not (repeat not) important in themselves, aro llable in the end to force us to a position where some action must be takon.

Copias sent to:-

Foreign Office

Mr. Ash. Scott.