CO129-499-4 Canton situation- governor's despatches 18-3-1927 - 22-4-1927 — Page 53

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Euclo No. 2. ETHI

COLONIAL OFFICE

Translation.

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54

No.250/27.

O.P.S

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(Extract from Man Kwok Yat Po, Canton. 4th. April 1927)

The Hong Kong Government closing down the liong Kong

General Labour Union without good cause.

All members prohibited to enter and leave.

All property in the Union seized.

Inion suplies to the Government to make a grave

protest.

4

(From the Wen Kau She News Agency)

The various labour associations in Hong Kong,

in order to intensify the common spirit and consolidate

their forces, established the Fong Kong General Labour

Union in the 10th year of the Republic (1921). On

the outbreak of the Canton-Hong Kong Strike, however,

the General Union suspended operations. Now that con-

munications between Canton and Fong Kong have been resumed for several months, the workmen in Hong Kong were of the opinion that improvement was urgently required in their combination but as there were no existing reponsible officials to carry this out, on

hocuty-one.

the 1st. April a committee of 21'officials was appointed, by election, to undertake the task. Unexpectedly, et 7 p.m. on that day, the Government of Fong Kong sent a large batch of armed Eritish soldiers and Chinese

detectives to make a forcible entry into the Union, raid it, stop all members from entering and leaving and seize and take away all property and documents in the Union. Their cruelty and violence vas such as to make

the hair stand on end. Yesterday the Union sent a letter to the All-Hong Kong Labour Union, asking them to urge the Central Kuomintang Department and the Nationalist Government to send a grave protest to the British Consul-

General. On receipt of the letter, the All-Hong Kong

labour