CO537-4835(2) — Page 198

52928/20

8

TION

COPY FOR DEC

INWARD TELEGRAM

This document must be paraphrased if the communication of its contents to any person outside Government Service is authorised.

Typex

TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

•

FROM HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham)

D. 1st April, 1949.

R. lst

11

2

11.45 hrs.

I

*

11

IMPORTANT

No. 311 Secret.

Addressed to s. of s.

Repeated

"Nanking.

"Commissioner-General Singapore.

**

tt

Governor Singapore.

High Commissioner Federation of Malaya by Savingram.

My telegram No.212 second paragraph. (1).

Foreign political parties.

I consider that maintenance of law and order in Hong Kong in present time would be assisted by introduction of legislation to require compulsory registration of all local societies. enable foreign political parties to be excluded."

This mould Present is the paychological moment for enactment of such legislation and for the reasons given in paragraph 3 of Governor of Singapore's telegram No.152 with which I am in full agreement this has been treated as a matter of urgency. A draft bill has been prepared and has now been examined by my (?Executive Council). re-establishes position obtaining under the Societies

Generally it Ordinance 1911 which provided for compulsory registration. (It was succeeded by Societies Ordinance 1920 which made registration voluntary).

2. I consider this legislation amply justified by existing world and local conditions though it is with reluctance that such a step is to be taken. Existence in the Colony of branch offices of Chinese political parties has not in the past proved conducive to peace and good order. The KMT while it was the leading party in China was the rallying point in Hong Kong for Chinese nationalism and took the lead in fomenting disturbances over points affecting the National honour. There is every indication that Chinese Communist Party, once it is the Government party in China, will prove even more troublesome. Chinese Communist Party, when they achieve complete control over China, may wish to have an office in the Colony just as the KMT have now.

This

/would

(1)

المهمة