CYPHER/CAT-A-
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
SECRET
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2013
23 SEPTEMBER 1968
84
HW
83
SECRET
ADDRESSED CO TELNO 2013 OF 23RD SEPTEMBER RFI PA SINGAPORE WASHINGTON AND HC CANBERRA AND SAVING PEKING.
FOR COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND CABINET OFFICE FOR JIC. FOLLOWING FROM LIC. WEEKLY ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AS AT 0609 HOURS 23RD SEPTEMBER FOLLOWS. THE PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE PERIOD HAVE BEEN
(A) THE EARLY START OF WELL PUBLICISED CPG NATIONAL DAY CELEB- RATIONS. ATTENDANCE SO FAR HAS BEEN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. HOWEVER THER IS EVIDENCE THAT COMMUNIST LEADERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LACK OF ENTHUSIASM FOR THE CELEBRATIONS. MEMBERS OF A MILITANT COMMUNIST DOCKWORKERS' UNION HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO AVOID TROUBLE DURING THE CELEBRATIONS. THERE HAS BEEN NO FURTHER REACTION TO GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO PERMIT A FIREWORK DISPLAY. THE LOCAL KMT PARTY BRANCH HAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO MEMBERS OF RIGHT- WING ORGANISATIONS THAT THEY SHOULD STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, OBEY THE LAW AND SUPPORT GOVERNMENT DURING THE CELEBRATION PERIOD. PREPARATIONS FOR FUNCTIONS TO MARK THEIR OWN ANNIVERSARY ON 10TH OCTOBER ARE NOW UNDERWAY, AND ALTHOUGH THEY HOPE TO ENLARGE ON LAST YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS IT SEEMS AT PRESENT THAT THEY WILL BE ON MUCH THE SAME SCALE AS BEFORE.
(B) MOUNTING PRESSURE ON STRIKERS' TO FIND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT: 'STRIKERS' FROM THE MAIN TRANSPORTATION UNION (PARAGRAPH 1(6) OF TELEGRAM 1083) HAVE NOW BEEN ASKED TO COMPLETE QUESTIONAIRES ON THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE INTERPRETED THIS AS AN INDICATION THAT *STRIKE PAYS WILL COME TO AN END AFTER 1ST OCTOBER. OFFICIALS OF OTHER UNIONS HAVE REPORTED TO THE FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS THAT THOSE STRIKERS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN EMPLOYMENT , RELUCTANTLY, BY CHINA PRODUCTS STORES AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNIST ORGANISATIONS,
•CEIVED IN
A3
24 SEP1960
HWDD/Y
SECRET
/COMPLAIN
p.a.
$52519
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