TNAG-0017-FCO40-53-Kowloon-disturbances-1968 — Page 33

GEN/13/1860

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Annex 'D'

Other Concessions by the Hong Kong Government

(1) Actual Concessions

(a) Normal storage and distribution charges waived in respect of the

'gift rice' offered to Hong Kong communists by the Kwangtung Provincial Support Committee and permission given to import part of amount as a non-commercial consignment and outside the quota. (The Communists have not in fact taken advantage of this); (b) Re-licensing of the Silver Theatre on 17th May, 1968, (closed in

June 1967 when it was used for inflammatory broadcasts and the storage of weapons) although known to Government that new licensee was representing original communist licence holder; (c) The three suppressed newspapers allowed to recommence publication

on 18th February, 1968, some two weeks before the expiry of the suppression orders when it became apparent that the communists were under the impression that the six months' period of suppression commenced on the date the original suspension order came into force instead of the date of the Court's verdict.

(2)

Concessions in the Form of Restraint by the Hong Kong Government (a) Except when deemed to be in flagrant defiance of the law and

likely to cause a breach of the peace no action taken, as a matter of policy, against processions, meetings, delegations and

picnics;

(b) No immediate action against inflammatory posters in May, 1967;

(c)

(a)

Careful limitation of any arrest action and detention under Emergency Regulations; no attempt was made to arrest C.P.G. officials or certain senior communists in Hong Kong, although

the arrest of many such persons could have been justified clearly during the violent phases of communist activity;

No action against the premises of communist banks or C.P.G. owned commercial firms, organisations or vessels, although they

were used as bases for violent subversive activity, including

broadcasting of inflammatory speeches and so forth;

(e) No prosecution of the six major communist newspapers, although

they were and still are in daily breach of the law.

/(f) No......

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