15th May
16th May
grave consequences arising therefrom.
Later in the day the Governor issued a statement in Hong Kong
in the course of which he recalled assurances already given to the
public about the maintenance of law and order. He added that"the
police do not and will not involve themselves in labour disputes but
will only enforce the law when it is broken.”
The position remained quiet on the ground and there were no
indications of unusual occurrences in the frontier area, The courts
were however familiar with the situation in Maoao in relation to
the Consular Permit Office and Consul's resp nse was highly unsatisfactory
Unruly groups had plastered the three buildings with posters and
alogens. The car of the Consul and Vice-Consul had been similarly
uguese treated and rendered useless. The Fortathorities had made no effort
to intervene making it clear that they regarded the trouble as a quarrel
between the British and the Chinese and that they did not propose to
become inv.lved. The Consul was forced to close the Consulate and he
and the Vice-Consul vacated their residences and moved to an hotel.
The Governor reported that the reaction of the ordinary citizens
of Hong Kong left-wing would depend on their judgment of how H.M.G.
would react and whether H.M.G. was fully determined that law and order
should be maintained. He further reported that there was good evidence
that the statement that he had made (see paragraph above) had a
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beneficial effact and had been widely welocued. The Hong Kong Govern-
ment had been trying for the past few days to stimulate local neutral
and non-left wing organisations and personalities into coming out with
public expressions of a desire for peace and at bility in Hong Kong
and with similar indications of lack of support for prezent left-wing
agitation. He suggested that any Hong Kong Cinese groups in England
who could be stimulated into taking similar cotion would possibly be
helpful.
/The
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