SECRET
HONG KONG TELEGRAM NO. 243 TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
davan
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AND ITS PLEDGE OF SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL STRUGGLE. GOVERNMENT
WAS WARNED NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE IMPORTATION OF RICE DONATED FROM KWANGTUNG, WHICH WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE COLONY WITH OR WITHOUT GOVERNMENT APPROVAL'. THE CIRCULATION OF THE THREE RECENTLY REPUBLISHED INDEPENDENT PRO-COMMUNIST
NEWSPAPERS HAS NOW REVERTED TO PRE-SUPPRESSION LEVEL.
(1) THE RESUMPTION ON 22ND FEBRUARY OF REPATRIATION TO CHINA
OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, WHICH HAD BEEN SUSPENDED SINCE JULY, 1967 . TWENTY-FOUR WERE RETURNED VIA LO WU UP TO 25TH FEBRUARY WHEN, FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT IN WHICH A RELUCTANT REPRATRIATE
WAS PUSHED INTO C.T. BY A CHINA TRAVEL SERVICE EMPLOYEE AND
MANHANDLED BY C.P.G. OFFICIALS, REPATRIATION WAS POSTPONED TEMPORARILY. MEANWHILE A STEADY FLOW OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
CONTINUES TO ARRIVE IN THE COLONY BY SEA: 390 WERE ARRESTED DURING THE WEEK BRINGING THE MONTHLY TOTAL TO DATE TO 652. 2. DURING THE WEEK, EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STAFF CARRIED OUT SURPRISE INSPECTIONS AT TWO MAJOR COMMUNIST CONTROLLED SCHOOLS. THE FIRST PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT DURING THE SECOND,
WHICH COINCIDED WITH STUDENT CELEBRATIONS TO MARK THE FORMATION
OF THE K.P.R.C. THE INSPECTORS DECIDED TO WITHDRAW WITHOUT
INSPECTING CLASSROOMS IN ORDER NOT TO PROVOKE AN INCIDENT
IN WHAT WAS A HIGHLY EXCITABLE ATMOSPHERE. THE SCHOOL WILL BE
RE-INSPECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
3. THE BEHAVIOUR OF COMMUNIST GROUPS PICNICKING IN RURAL AREAS
GIVES CAUSE FOR CONCERN IN THAT, ALTHOUGH LARGELY STAYING WITHIN THE LAW AND NOT OVERTLY SEEKING TROUBLE WITH THE
AUTHORITIES, THEY COULD FRIGHTEN AND INTIMIDATE HOLIDAY MAKERS
FROM THE URBAN AREA AND NEW TERRITORIES VILLAGERS,
LEADING
TO PUBLIC PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT TO CURB THIS FORM OF COMMUNIST
ACTIVITY.
4. ALTHOUGH SO FAR COMMUNIST REACTION TO GOVERNMENT REJECTION
OF THE APPLICATION TO IMPORT 'GIFT RICE' OUTSIDE THE QUOTA,
WHEN THERE IS ROOM WITHIN THE QUOTA FOR IT, HAS BEEN RELATIVELY
**DD. ** INTRANSIOTT ATTITEOF OF C.h.C. OFFICIALS DURING
:
A
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