COPY FOR REAIST
PRATIC MAY
10
17 2
9
1967
80
MX
24
89
9
SECRET
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Sir D. Trench)
Cypher
D. 18 May 1967
R.
18
1130Z
IMMEDIATE
SECRET
No.632
Repeated
IR
11
11
Addressed to Commonwealth Office
Peking No.238
Singapore No.106
Washington No.120
(S. of S. please pass to all)
My telegram No.626.
SITREP as at 18 1700.
TH
During the night of 17/18 May up to
1700 hours today on the Kowloon side the re
í
RECEIVED IN
AD CURVES No. 63
18 Pafizor
HWA 1/1
have been sporadic small scale disturbances none of which have demanded major police intervention. It has not so far been thought necessary to impose a curfew.
20
The All Circles delegation which called at Government House on 17th returned today demanding peremptorily to see me. My offer to arrange for them to see the D.C.s at the Colonial Secretariat was refused in rude terms. After a period of chanting and singing, during which posters were fixed on the sentry box and outer gate of Government House, the delegation and its accompanying crowd eventually withdrew still singing. There have been several other delegations with petitions all equally arrogant, noisy and demanding, though at this stage still disciplined and avoiding violence. The pressure is now being switched on to me personally and we can expect this to continue with the additional problem that it is spreading disorder on to the island which has hitherto been mainly peaceful.
90
30 Left-wing sources have seized on a report that Lord Shackleton has announced that H.M.G. is prepared to suspend the state of emergency in Aden and release detainees in return for co-operation from Opposition political parties. Two sources have asked why we are standing firm on the question of upholding the law here when we are prepared to suspend it to suit political ends elsewhere. The facts of the case have been explained to them but we should be grateful to be kept informed of developments.
40 There have been fairly heavy withdrawals of bank deposits which appear to have affected the communist banks in as great or greater measure as others. Bank note issue has been increased by £8 million ((HK)1 36 million) since 15th May: the total circulation was (HK)1,751 million at 30 April 1967. Remaining reserves of notes in Colony stand
/at
SECRET
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