TNAG-0067-FCO40-103-Governors--reports-1968 — Page 3

SECRET

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE PRINT DISTRIBUTION

CO Ref.: FED 150/402/01

February, 1967

Copy No. 65

兆

HONG KONG: A REVIEW OF PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS

Governor of Hong Kong to the Secretary of State for the Colonies

Government House, Hong Kong 15 December, 1966

(No. 2879. Secret) Sir,

I have the honour in this despatch to attempt a review of the principal developments that have taken place in Hong Kong since my last periodic despatch dated 23 April, 1965.*

2. The main excitement was undoubtedly the three days of rioting in April this year.

By the standards of other countries it was a minor affair and the injury to persons and property was slight. Its significance lies in the fact that it happened at all. Since the clash between Communists and nationalists in 1956 Hong Kong has been free from mob violence. Nearly 4 million people contrive to earn a living in this crowded territory and they have managed to rub along without producing more than an occasional spark, and when disturbances did flare up there was a disproportionate feeling of shock and apprehension.

3. The ostensible cause of the riots was a proposal to increase the first-class fare of one of the cross-harbour ferry services by five cents (the equivalent of three farthings). On 5 April a youth called So Sau-chung staged a hunger strike in protest at the Star Ferry pier. His action came as jam to the Press, who excited public interest in him and in the issue generally. His arrest, for obstruction, increased the tension and led to a peaceful, but excited, protest march (mainly by teenagers and children) through Kowloon on the night of 5/6 April. Tension continued to grow and further demonstrations on the following night degenerated into violence, which, however, did not spread beyond the south-west quarter of Kowloon. A curfew was ordered and by the early hours of the morning order had been restored. Violence, however, broke out again the following evening, though it was confined to a smaller area, and a curfew was again imposed. Precautionary curfews were ordered for the following two nights and there was no further trouble. One person was killed as a result of police fire and 16 injured persons were treated in Government hospitals. Others were no doubt treated privately. 1,465 persons were arrested; of these 905 were charged with various offences (790 with breach of curfew alone).

""

4. So much for the actual events. The underlying causes-the "groundswell of discontent as The Times called it--are not so easy to analyse. A Commission of Enquiry was set up and has completed hearing evidence. I do not want to anticipate the Commission's conclusions, but a sketch of the background is necessary for the riots to be seen in perspective.

5. Before the war and for some time afterwards the population of However Hong Kong, both Chinese and European, was essentially transient. long people lived here, their roots and their real homes were elsewhere. But now not only are there far more people but they are a more settled community though not necessarily from choice; many young people are growing up who have never known and have no foreseeable hope of knowing another home. They live in a quite appallingly overcrowded city, in a fiercely competitive environment, where poverty and considerable wealth are seen side by side. Real wages have been rising much faster than the cost of living but, while there has been a considerable improvement in living conditions generally, this in itself has inspired the dese for still further improvement.

* Not printed.

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RECEIVED IN`

*Guns 19,631

7620

**