6.
SECRET
Recommendations
(i) Local Security
(a) We are already sending the Commando Carrier
BULWARK to Hong Kong where she should arrive by
the end of this week.
(b) The governor has already been authorised to
neutralise several of the buildings from which
the campaign is being directed.
(c) The Governor has now asked for authority to pick
up and, if possible, deport (or failing that,
detain) a selection of up to 24 known leaders of
the present campaign. The disruption of the
leadership would be a distinct and positive gain
and would be seen by the majority of the population
as firm action. On the other hand it is unlikely that
the Chinese Government would a ccept these leaders as
deportees and, if they were detained in Hong Kong,
this would provide Peking and the local Communists
with a grievance. The Governor has undertaken not
to use this weapon lightly or unnecessarily and, on
balance, I recommend that he should be given the
authority to go ahead if the situation requires it.
(d) Action against the principal Communist newspaper
which is the official C.P.G. organ in Hong Kong.
The Governor accepts that prosecutions for sedition
or inciting the police to disaffection might have
instian dangerous repercussions, and is proposing to seek
emergency powers to close down the printing press,
ha but/would only take action after consulting me on
each individual case. I would propose to give him
authority on this understanding.
a general
/(ii)
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