CO537-3708 — Page 22

4

Alternative sites were

then issued by the Court.

offered them, and it was open to them to remove the

materials of their existing huts to those sites. The

case came before the Court on the 16th December and

eviction orders were made. A translation of the

Magistrate's order and the notice offering alternative

sites was published in the Press on the 17th December

and copies were served on the squatters on the 22nd

and 29th December. Eviction and dismantling of the

huts was carried out without disturbance on the

5th January.

3.

On the 7th January the Magistrate of Po On,

a district of the Kwangtung Province adjoining

Hong Kong, paid a visit to the "Walled City", which is

fifteen to twenty miles from the frontier, accompanied

by several of his officials including Health and Police

Advisers. A meeting was held when he addressed the

crowd under the Chinese flag. This was interpreted in

the Chinese press as reaffirming Chinese sovereignty.

In defiance of the Court's order, a number of huts

were illegally re-erected on the former sites. Police

action to move them on the 12th January was met by

As the police party approached through

resistance.

a narrow alley leading to the "Walled City", they were

met by loud shouts and a heavy barrage of stones from

a crowd of over 100 persons. Several of the police

were hit and the mob was obviously acting on a pre-

arranged plan. Police efforts to quieten the mob were

drowned in the clamour, and it was necessary for the

police then to fire warning shots from revolvers.

These warnings were without effect on the crowd and

tear smoke was then used, which had the desired effect

of dispersing the crowd. The police were then able to

remove the huts in accordance with their orders.

4. In