}
SECRET
Lagainst
(242)
(155)
(121)
(246)
RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No. 63
19 JUN 1967
HUA1/1
1631
For Mom Grill
Mr. Hall
244
In Hong Kong telegram No.845, the Governor asks permission to deport (or detain if entry is refused) three or four of the agitators in Communist Unions who have figured prominently in the recent stoppages. He says that there is some mounting public demand for deportation action against such people. He will only take such action if and when he considers it desirable to do so.
2. I consider that this proposal should be approved and attach a draft telegram which has been agreed with the Foreign Office.
3. In paragraph 3 of our telegram No.1038, we authorised the Governor to take deportation action/selected Communist leaders with a view to disrupting the Communist leadership. In his telegram No.677 seeking this authority, the Governor referred to a list of 24 persons against whom action had been approved by his Executive Council. The persons the Governor now wants to deport are not, it appears, these key leaders but secondary members of the Communist organisation who are prominent in active operations. I do not think that it has been our intention to restrict the Governor's use of powers of deportation to this list of 24 "key" persons. The object is to disrupt the current operations of the Communists and if that is more likely to be achieved by action against those activists who are leading the operations in the field rather than against the top leadership who remain for the most part in the background, then this is surely the right way to proceed.
40 There is additionally the question of Peking's reactions. We have always feared that strong action against the Communist leadership might be regarded as provocative in Feking. The danger is perhaps reduced if we proceed against the second file; the F.0. assessment is that a reaction in Peking is likely, although we would expect this to be reflected only in their propaganda.
5. The following paragraph appears in Hong Kong telegram No.854 (received this morning, not yet copied):-
"(g) A Fress statement by Leung Wai Lam Director
of the Hong Kong Branch of the N.C.N.A. issued on 13th June, on instructions from Canton, which said that whilst China would always welcome 'Compatriots' from Hong Kong who returned to the mother country of their own free will, deportation without sufficient reason would not be countenanced by the Chinese people. Leung's statement was made following publicity given to the serving of deportation orders on three people currently serving sentences for offences in connection with the disturbances, and a recommendation by a magistrate that two people he had sentenced for terms of imprisonment for similar offences, should be considered for deportation".
This is not an entirely unexpected development, and it is one which the Governor will no doubt bear in mind when reaching a decision to act in the way he proposes.
The Husker of State has agreed.
Dent to Tel. Bch
D.K.
1616
und
16/6
Copy to:
Mr. E. Bolland
(F.0.)
L. 5. Car hir Carlo
(W.S. Carter)
DAD
1616167
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.