TNAG-0485-FCO40-550-UK-publications-on-labour-and-social-conditions-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 14

TS 7/1162/46 IV

CONFIDENTIAL Copies to Fest Ind

NOTE FOR THE RECORD

"HONG KONG

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1974

Mr Timmy! Mr Smaj

Some neful background.

81 chwides

26/11

A CASE TO ANSWER"

I had a long talk with Mr Martin Woollacott, the Guardian correspondent in Hong Kong about this pamphlet.

2.

Mr Woollacott told me that it was master-minded by Mr John Gittings, who was responsible personally for writing the conclusions. Other contributors in London included Mr Walter Easey, whose essay on the history of Hong Kong published in the volume edited by Mrs Agassi, had been compressed to form the background chapter of the pamphlet. Another contributor on the economic side had been Mr Neil Kerr (?Carr) who was doing a PD L study of Hong Kong as part of a thesis at the L ́S E (Mr Kerr is presently in London having spent two years in Hong Kong University, but will be passing through Hong Kong next month en route to Australia where is is due to take up an academic post.)

3.

Mr Woollacott added that there had also been a number of contributors in Hong Kong among Mr Gittings' friends here. The main one involved was a Mr Gus Mok vho was a well known film critic and Trotskyite. Also Mr Ngung Chung-Yin, the main Trotskyite organizer who was responsible for the now defunct Bi-Weekly 70s magazine and the Daily Combat Bulletin (according to the Sunday Post Herald of 17 November, he is thinking of writing out a new left-wing paper.) Father McGovern one of the younger Irish Jesuits here was also thought to have provided material.

4.

I got the impression that there was no particular love lost between Hr Woollacott and Mr Gittings. The Former does not share the latter's semi-Trotskyite views on China and was finding that a lot of stuff he vas sending back to the Guardian about China which he picked up in Hong Kong was being sat on by Mr Gittings, who had a lot of influence inside the Guardian editorial offices.

(C D S Drace-Francis) Assistant Political Adviser

21.11.74

PA

BJ

cc B H Dinwiddy Esq

H K & IO Department FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

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