TNAG-0027-FCO40-63-Relations-with-China-1968 — Page 83

SECRET

HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 1820 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

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PREVENT THE USE OF THE PREMISES FOR ILLEGAL PURPOSES RATHER THAN

E.G. INSTRUCTION IN THE THOUGHTS OF MAO SEMICOLON AND WE SHALL TAKE

THE GREATEST CARE IN FUTURE CAS HITHERTO) TO ENSURE THAT RAIDS TAKE

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PLACE ONLY WHEN WE HAVE THE CLEAREST REASON TO BELIEVE THAT OFFENCES

ARE BEING COMMITTED IN A PARTICULAR SCHOOL.

5. THE ACTION AGAINST CHUNG WAH SCHOOL WAS NOT 'PUNITIVE'.

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PUPILS

AND STAFF OF THE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN BREACHES

OF THE LAW SEMICOLON TWO TEACHERS AND SEVENTEEN PUPILS HAVE BEEN

. ARRESTED FOR 'STRUGGLE' OFFENCES SINCE SEPTEMBER SEMICOLON AND WHEN

WE GOT SUCH VERY DRAMATIC AND PUBLIC EVIDENCE THAT THE PREMISES

WERE BEING USED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EXPLOSIVES WE HAD NO OPTION

BUT TO TAKE ACTION.EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY ADVISED THE DEREGISTRATION

OF THE CHUNG WAH SCHOOL AND, THE HEADMASTER AND TEACHERS SEMICOLON BUT THE TIMING OF THE DEREGISTRATIONS AND THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT HAVE

BEEN LEFT TO MY DISCRETION: AND I WILL TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION UNTIL

I HEAR FURTHER FROM YOU. IF THE SCHOOL IS NOT TO BE DEREGISTERED..

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IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, HOWEVER, IT IS HARD TO THINK OF ANY MORE

VALID GROUNDS FOR THE DEREGISTRATION OF A SCHOOL.

6. I COULD ALSO RECONSIDER THE DETENTION OF THE HEADMASTER WONG CHO-

FAN LATER: BUT I DOUBT IF. I COULD BOTH RELEASE HIM AND NOT DEREGISTER

THE SCHOOL.

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7. THE PRESS. THE MAJOR DIFFICULTY HERE IS THAT 'WEN WEI PAO' HAVE ALREADY IN EFFECT 'DARED' US, TO CONTINUE THE ACTION CMY TELEGRAM 1771 PARAGRAPH 1 REFERS) AND HAVE PROPHESIED THAT WE SHALL NOT DO

SO BECAUSE WE ARE FRIGHTENED OF THE CONSEQUENCES. NEVERTHELESS,

PROPAGANDA CLAIMS OF THIS SORT BY THE COMMUNISTS NO LONGER CUT TOO '. MUCH ICE IN HONG KONG SEMICOLON AND I AM PREPARED TO ASK OLIVIER IF,

IN VIEW OF THE APPARENT BEARING OF HIS CASE ON THE TREATMENT OF THE

STAFF IN PEKING, HE WOULD BE PREPARED TO WAIVE THE CLAIM FOR DAMAGES AS PROPOSED IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF PEKING TELEGRAM 298. ASSESSMENT OF

DAMAGES IS DUE ON DECEMBER 14, BUT I AM ADVISED THAT IT WOULD BE AS

WELL TO DISCONTINUE THE ACTION BEFORE THE DAY SET FOR THE HEARING.

IF THIS CONCESSIO

STON TIED ANY USEFUL EFFECT ON THE C.P.G, I WOULD BE

PREPARED TO