TNAG-0644-FCO40-792-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 9

1911 am

2876. MA

RAJ

MEETING HELD IN HONG KONG & GENERAL DEPARTMENT ON 27 JUNE 1977

Present:

Mr Stewart (Head, HKGD)

Mr Duffy

1.

(HKGD)

Mr S T Kidd CBE (Commissioner, Hong Kong

Government Office)

Mr R W Boxall (Public Affairs

Officer, Hong Kong Government Office)

Mr Kidd raised the question of a programme which was to be held at The Greenwich Theatre entitled "Empire Made". He had been informed of this programme by Mr Ewan Hooper, the Director of the Greenwich Theatre who had pointed out that the criticisms of the Government of Hong Kong were serious and suggested that Mr Kidd should reply to them. The programme consists of a play for junior schools in South East London concerning child labour in Hong Kong. They have no script for the play which is improvised (presumably by the children themselves) but teachers are required to give lessons around the subject of the play. The teachers' notes prepared for this are full of inaccuracies and misleading statements in respect of Hong Kong and Mr Kidd wondered how best to deal with this problem.

2.

After some discussion it was agreed that too robust a reaction would be counter-productive and it was therefore agreed that a gentle approach should be made to the Greenwich Theatre, accepting the right of the producer to criticize but pointing out the inaccuracies and the untrue statements in the teachers' notes. Such an approach would be made by Mr Boxall.

3.

At the same time Mr Stewart would talk to the Department of Education and Science, since they would presumably have knowledge of this project. It was also agreed that there was no point in approach- ing the Inner London Education Authority who funded the Greenwich Theatre by block grant since the ILEA is dominated by left-wing members.

28 June 1977

Tauth

Spoke toh Ritz encen DES.30%

and told ur Kidd about the discussion

Jou