TNAG-0003-FCO40-39-Commission-of-Enquiry-into-the-Kowloon-disturbances-addition-1968 — Page 107

PART V PERSONS INVOLVED

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ut to publicity which an experienced social worker with a wide knowledge of the prob- › theems of the under-privileged told us was, he thought, out of all proportion to the real significance of the issue in the life of the Colony compared with those things which really hurt the community; narcotics, illegal gambling, etc.

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324. There can be little doubt that in early April of this year, public opinion on this subject of the ferry fares was highly sensitive and since large sections of the public had been encouraged to believe that their interests and views were being merely ignored and flouted, there was a danger that feeling was being raised to a who height where some sort of outbreak would occur. The campaign of opposition, ent's which was continued after the making and publication of the Transport Advisory Committee's report, was likely to have and did have that effect. When the demon- strators went out into the streets they clearly wanted to disrupt, to some extent, the ordinary rhythm and routine of life in the streets, so as to draw attention to themselves and their cause: and disrupt it they did.

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325. Well meaning people who do things which have unfortunate results, cannot, we think, escape all responsibility by pointing to their good intentions. A measure of forethought, care and wisdom, combined with some anxiety as to what may result from their efforts, is not merely desirable but necessary and is implied in that sense of responsibility which should be borne by those who seek to influence or guide public opinion. Mrs. ELLIOTT by her previous actions, including the attack on the integrity of her colleagues, and by the motivation and the measure of encouragement which she gave to the youthful demonstrators up to and during 5th April, made a significant contribution to the subsequent events however little she may have desired them.

326. She seems to have had very little appreciation of the dangers that were developing. Although the police had sensed early in the day of the 6th that the atmosphere was explosive and that a continuation of the previous night's activities might produce disorder, and had mobilized their forces accordingly, she seems to have been oblivious of this. Before us she was highly critical of the efforts made by Government on the 6th to explain the position by means of leaflets yet she did nothing herself, at this stage, to stem the tide of events. Whether she could have done anything effective is, of course, problematical. Whether if the commendable(1) message which, recognizing her measure of involvement, she sent for broadcasting on

(1) Sir Lindsay RIDE has strong reservations about this description of the message, not because such description is not or may not be true but because (a) the evidence before us concerning the subject matter and motive of the message was not sufficient to convince him that it is a true description, and that Mrs. ELLIOTT's own behaviour before the Commission made it impossible for him to satisfy himself that other less commendable motives could not be deduced from the wording of her message; and (b) he feels that in the delicate situation that exists in Hong Kong today, it is too dangerous and wholly inadvisable to allow some members of the public to gain the impression that they no matter how well-intentioned can play with fire, and then win commendation after the conflagration has started, by publishing an untested ex- planatory atonement.