TNAG-0798-FCO40-1002-Dispute-over-closure-of-Precious-Blood-Golden-Jubilee-Second-1978 — Page 140

CONFIDENTIAL

2. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT AND TO WORK OUT A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO THE AFFAIR;

3. THE 4-MAN TEAM APPOINTED BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TOGETHER WITH OTHER MEMBERS: 4. THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE SHOULD LOOK INTO THE FOLLOWING:- (1) WHETHER THE SCHOOL SHOULD OPEN UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME: (11) WHETHER THE SCHOOL SHOULD COME UNDER A DIFFERENT SPONSOR:

(111) WHETHER THE BORAD OF MANAGERS SHOULD BE REAPPOINTED: (IV) THE RENEWAL OF THE TEACHERS' CONTRACTS.

THERE SEEMS NO REASON WHY THIS PARTICULAR PETITION SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN FULL IN HANSARD,

C. NO.

3

D. THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION EXERCISED HIS POWERS TO

CLOSE THE SCHOOL IN TERMS OF SECTION 83(1) OF THE EDUCATION ORDINANCE. HE TOOK THIS ACTION AFTER EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG AND WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF HONG KONG. THIS DECISION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL AS A PRACTICAL NECESSITY, 16 TEACHERS AND ABOUT 400 PUPILS WERE REPORTED TO BE INVOLVED IN SIT-INS AT THE SCHOOL AND DEMONSTRATIONS ELSEWHERE DURING NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS DURING THE WEEK IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE CLOSURE OF THE

SCHOOL ON 14 MAY 1978.

E. A PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MADE THAT THE SCHOOL WILL RE-OPEN ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1978 WITH A NEW NAME, AS THE SISTERS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD ARE HANDING OVER THE SCHOOL TO THE CATHOLIC MISSION. THE NEW NAME PROPOSED IS ST THERESA'S SECONDARY SCHOOL.

F. THE PUBLIC MEETING AT VICTORIA PARK ON 28 MAY WAS AUTHORISED BY THE POLICE ON THE NORMAL CONDITION THAT THE ORGANISERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING GOOD ORDER THROUGHOUT. THERE WERE EIGHT UNIFORMED AND ELVEN PLAIN-CLOTHES POLICEMEN ON DUTY IN THE

PARK: TWO COMPANIES OF POLICEMEN AND THREE SECTIONS OF POLICEWOMEN WERE ON STANDBY WITHIN POLICE STATIONS CLOSEST TO THE PARK. THE POLICE ESTIMATE OF THE SIZE OF THE CROWD WAS 4,000 - 5,000.

G. THE CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP IS BETWEEN THE TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE NOMINATED BY THE ROMAN CATHOLIC

2'- CONFIDENTIAL

/ BISHOP.