CO537-4835(2) — Page 82

REINFORCEMENTS 3 HONGKONG

A POLICE FORCE OF SIX EUROPEAN OFFICERS AND 150 CHINESE CONSTABLES IS GUARDING THE HONGKONG FRONTIER, WHERE THE SITUATION IS QUIET.

POLICE REPORT THAT THE CURFEW RECENTLY IMPOSED IN A NARROW STRIP OF THE COLONY'S TERRITORY ALONG THE BORDER WITH CHINA IS BEING SATISFACTORILY OBSERVED. IT IS PROVING DIFFICULT TO PATROL THE ADJACENT BRITISH WATERS, HOWEVER,

TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY FOR THE REGISTRATION OF LOCAL SOCIETIES UNDER THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S SOCITIES ORDINANCE. MORE... 1541

REINFORCEMENTS 4 HONGKONG

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UNDER ITS PROVISIONS THE GOVERNMENT COULD REFUSE TO REGISTER ANY LOCAL SOCIETY AFFILIATED TO A POLITICAL ORGANISATION OUTSIDE THE COLONY.

THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE KUOMINTANG HAD NOT REGISTERED BY TODAY, AND AN AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE SAID IT HAD DECIDED TO DISBAND RATHER THAN ATTEMPT REGISTRATION.

THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE COMMUNIST PARTY, WHICH HAS NO ORGANISED SOCIETY IN HONGKONG, BUT THE PARTY IS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE MEASURE.

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REINFORCEMENTS 5 HONGKONG

AN OFFICIAL SOURCE ATTRIBUTED COMMUNIST OPLOSITION TO THE FACT THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD DETER ANY ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL COMMUNIST ORGANISATION DISGUISED AS A SPORTS OR CULTURAL CLUB.

THE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS, WHICH HAD PLANNED TO DEFY THE ORDINANCE, HAS NOW DECIDED TO REGISTER. THE FEDERATION ABANDONED THEIR IDEA OF POSSIBLE STRIKE ACTION AGAINST THE ORDINANCE AFTER OFFICIAL ASSURANCES THAT INDIVIDUAL UNIONS, WHICH ARE ALREADY INDUSTRIALLY REGISTERED, WOULD BE PERMITTED TO OPERATE AS BEFORE.

MANY TRADE UNION LEADERS ARE KNOWN COMMUNISTS OR COMMUNIST SYMPATHISERS, AND SOME HAVE VISITED COMMUNIST-HELD AREAS IN RECENT MONTHS.

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