新聞處年報 Information Services Department Annual Report 1964-1965

HONG KONG

ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT

BY THE

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES

N. J. V. WATT

FOR THE

FINANCIAL YEAR 1964 - 65

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY S. YOUNG, GOVERNMENT PRINTER

AT THE Government PRESS, JAVA ROAD, HONG KONG

EXCHANGE RATES

When dollars are quoted in this Report, they are, unless otherwise stated, Hong Kong dollars. The official rate for conversion to pound sterling is HK$16-£1 (HK$1=1s. 3d.). The official rate for conversion to U.S. dollars is HK$5.714=US$1 (based on £1=US$2.80).

40389-9K-8/65

GENERAL

STAFF

PRESS DIVISION.

PRESS ROOM

RADIO NEWS ROOM

PUBLICITY DIVISION

FEATURES.

PUBLICATIONS

PHOTOGRAPHS

DISTRIBUTION

ADVERTISING

CONTENTS

Paragraphs

1 - 17

. 18

21 - 26

27 - 36

45 51

52 - 55

56 - 58

59 - 63

FILM PRODUCTION

65 - 72

FILM CENSORSHIP

73 - 75

REFERENCE LIBRARY.

76 - 78

LONDON OFFICE INFORMATION SECTION

79 - 98

iii

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啊

想

GENERAL

THE most striking feature of the Hong Kong newspaper scene in 1964 was the remarkable increase in the circulations of many morning and afternoon newspapers. Overall circulation of the Chinese-language press now exceeds 1.2 million copies but accurate figures are hard to come by since by no means all newspapers publish audited figures.

2. Even allowing for under-estimating in previous years, the increase must be attributed to the growing population and, of course, to the steadily rising standard of education. The overall figure represents the sale of newspapers at the rate of 32 copies for every hundred people among the populace. It compares with an International Press Institute figure of 40 for every hundred people in Japan and only one copy for every hundred throughout Asia as a whole, excluding China.

3. During the year, the number of daily newspapers published in the Colony increased by eight to 55. These cover almost every shade of political opinion. The number of journals published once or twice a week still stands at 26.

　　　4. The steady increase in the number of daily newspapers can be attributed in part to the economics of newspaper production in Hong Kong and to the simple requirements of registration under the law. Some publishers of small newspapers do not invest money in expensive printing equipment because there are many printing houses which are capable of printing two or three such papers at a time.

5. Among new Chinese daily newspapers published during the year were the Echo Times, Good News Daily, South East Evening Post, Happy News, Tsao Pao, Seng Pao and Kam Pao. However, the South East Evening Post suspended publication a few months after its debut.

　　　6. There are four English-language daily newspapers. These are the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Tiger Standard, both published in the morning, and the China Mail and Star, both afternoon dailies.

　　　7. The Star, a tabloid newspaper, first appeared on the streets on 15th March, 1965. The 16-page newspaper is sold at 10 cents a copy. In

fact, it is the only English-language newspaper to be published in the tabloid size and to be sold at 10 cents a copy.

8. Two other daily tabloid newspapers, the Ming Tang Yat Pao and the Daily Pictorial (Ngan Tang Yat Po), are published in Chinese. Both are partly printed in colour and report on the movements and activities of Hong Kong and foreign film celebrities. Sold at 10 cents a copy, these two papers have expanded their circulations.

9. Another notable feature of the Hong Kong newspaper scene in 1964 was the appearance of a number of trade magazines printed in the English language. These include the Asian Industry, Far East Medical Journal, Asian Textile Annual, Hong Kong Builder Directory, Far East Engineering and Equipment News and the Far East Architect and Builder.

10. All the three bi-lingual newspapers which appeared in 1963 have suspended publication. One of the two weekly papers closed shortly after its debut and the other later became a weekly supplement of a major Chinese daily before ceasing publication. The third bi-lingual paper-a morning newspaper-also went out of business.

11. All newspapers published in the Colony must be registered with the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. The fee is $100 a year. In addition, the applicant must deposit $10,000 as surety or provide two acceptable guarantors in this sum. This deposit is a form of protection for the public to ensure payment of fines, damages or costs of a libel action in which a newspaper or publication may become involved.

12. All leading Chinese dailies in Hong Kong maintain high standards in their foreign news coverage by subscribing to the news services of international news agencies. The larger papers run regularly to 24 or 28 pages a day.

　　　　13. The Wah Kiu Yat Po, Kung Sheung Yat Po and the Sing Tao Jih Pao publish both morning and afternoon editions. These three papers and the Sing Pao Daily News, which does not publish an afternoon edition, are generally non-partisan in politics.

14. Orthodox Chinese Communist policies are voiced in the Ta Kung Pao, Wen Wei Pao and the New Evening Post while the Hong Kong Times speaks for the Nationalist regime in Taiwan.

15. Both Chinese and English-language newspapers are represented on the Newspaper Society of Hong Kong, which has 18 members.

16. Hong Kong continues to be used as a base of South-East Asian operations for all the important news agencies and many international magazines, newspapers, radio and television networks. More than 60 resident correspondents are members of the Foreign Correspondents Club, which has moved its premises to the 24th floor of the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel.

　　　　17. Although many correspondents have to leave the Colony to cover news events in other parts of the region, their permanent establishment in Hong Kong ensures regular and well-informed attention to Hong Kong affairs in newspapers, magazines and on cinema and television screens all over the world.

STAFF

18. The Director of Information Services left Hong Kong on 16th September, 1964 on a brief visit to the United States and Britain to discuss closer liaison with various official and unofficial organizations in both countries which channel official Hong Kong publicity material to newspapers and to film, broadcasting and television outlets. During his visit, particularly in the United States, Mr. WATT held talks designed to stimulate increased use of these channels.

19. As a secondary purpose, Mr. WATT's visit was timed to coincide with the opening of the New York Office of the Joint Public Relations Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. Mr. WATT returned to Hong Kong on 11th October, 1964. During his absence, the Deputy Director, Mr. M. A. B. STEVENSON, acted as Director.

20. During the year, the Director of Information Services continued to chair the Television Progress Committee which was established in 1963 to plan the implementation of the policy on wireless television and to formulate detailed drafting instructions prior to legislating for the control of wireless television in Hong Kong. The Television Ordinance, No. 32 of 1964, became law in November, 1964 and the following month, the Director of Information Services, ex officio, was appointed Television Authority to administer the Ordinance in the event of a wireless television franchise being granted. Also during the year the Director of Information Services was appointed a Member of a Working Committee set up to enquire into the possibility of establishing an Export Promotion Organiza- tion to consolidate measures for the promotion of Hong Kong's overseas trade. The Committee was continuing its discussions at the end of the

period under review. Mr. N. J. V. WATT'S membership of the Hong Kong Tourist Association Board was also renewed for a further period of three years.

PRESS DIVISION

21. The Press Division is divided into two main sections. The Press Section channels information to newspapers and deals with press inquiries generally and the Radio News Section specializes in the preparation of world and local news bulletins for the Colony's three broadcasting and television outlets.

　　　22. The proposed establishment of a commercial wireless television station, for which tenders were called in February, 1965, will, undoubtedly, result in more work for these two sections as well as for the Film Censor- ship and Distribution Sections of the Publicity Division.

23. The Press Division is concerned, so far as the Government is responsible, and can assist, with the conditions under which journalists are able to carry on their work. At Government functions, the Press Division organizes press arrangements to ensure that adequate facilities are made available to reporters, photographers and cameramen. On these and many other occasions when journalists require special facilities, officers of the Press Division are present to make arrangements for them.

　　　24. The Press Division also serves as a point of contact with the Government for the many resident foreign correspondents and for hundreds of newspaper correspondents who pass through Hong Kong each year.

　　　25. In the event of typhoons or other emergencies, the staff of the Press Division are invariably on duty round-the-clock to prepare situation reports, radio announcements and radio news bulletins for broadcast over the radio and television networks. Information is sent out on the Department's teleprinter link with newspapers, news agencies and radio stations which would normally find difficulty in covering such news. The teleprinter network enables news of importance and urgent announce- ments to be transmitted automatically to the press and radio outlets within a matter of minutes. The teleprinter service now has 23 subscribers and serves 34 newspapers, news agencies and radio stations.

　　　26. During the year, further tests were carried out of a facsimile system which transmits news in Chinese by wire to newspapers and to

the Chinese services of radio and television stations. Agents of the equip- ment are now negotiating with the publishers of Chinese newspapers regarding the terms and arrangements for installing such equipment.

PRESS ROOM

　　　　27. The Press Room is the largest single unit of the Department. Whereas the Department is concerned with nearly every medium of mass communication, the Press Section's primary function is to serve local newspapers, both Chinese and English, with a constant and rapid flow of official information. Many of the technical developments which have taken place during the year show the importance of providing speedy and extensive information on public affairs.

　　　　28. The Press Room is manned by information officers who have working experience in journalism. They produce a Daily Information Bulletin containing an average of a dozen news items and articles every day. These range from routine traffic arrangements to the work of other Government departments and major policy decisions and measures. More than 3,400 items were issued in the Bulletin and about 200 press photographs were distributed.

　　　　29. The news items are prepared in both English and Chinese for distribution through press boxes to over 100 newspapers, agencies and periodicals. This distribution system is supplemented by the teleprinter service, which has proved particularly useful to foreign news agencies and afternoon newspapers which have to meet publication deadlines. The service is not restricted to official announcements but is increasingly used to alert news editors to the occurrence of fires, landslides, house collapses, emergency aircraft landings and other incidents which require immediate press coverage. Over 5,000 items were sent on the teleprinter during the period under review.

30. Apart from preparing official press releases for inclusion in the Daily Information Bulletins, information officers attached to the Press Room are constantly in contact with newspapers by telephone, answering press questions over the whole range of Government activity. Just under 10,000 press inquiries were answered during the year. Many of these concerned the activities of the Police Force. Besides these queries, the Press Section issued 200 Police reports in the same period. A number of on-the-spot press conferences were organized following police seizures of arms and ammunition and narcotics.

　　　　31. The value of press conferences, at which journalists can meet senior Government officers responsible for matters of public interest, has been recognized by many Government departments and a regular feature of the Press Section's functions is the arrangement of personal interviews and the organization of general press conferences. During the year, 19 press conferences were organized, and 17 press visits and 131 interviews were arranged.

32. Daily Press Summaries, a digest of comments, news items and letters concerning Government which appear in the Chinese press, are prepared by the Press Room for senior civil servants and Members of the Executive, Legislative and Urban Councils who either do not read Chinese or do not have the time to go through all the vernacular papers.

33. All official speeches are translated into Chinese for issue to the press. Occasionally, even official documents, such as the Medical Clinics Ordinance and the Working Party's Report on the Home Ownership Scheme, are also translated for press publication.

　　　　34. Because the majority of the Press Room staff are bi-lingual and are capable of working in English and Chinese under pressure, their assistance in translation work is often sought by other Government departments. Assistant Information Officers in the Press Section have done special translation work for the Salaries Commission, Legal Depart- ment, School Medical Service Board, Printing Department, etc. An officer of this section was also seconded to the Labour Department and the Commerce and Industry Department for a short period to undertake special duties.

　　　　35. Assistant Information Officers are required to be present at the scene of serious fires, earth slips, rehousing of squatters, etc. to help the press to cover the news and to report for the radio news bulletins. The more important part of their duties at the scene of such incidents is to act as a liaison officer between the press and the Government department in charge of the operation. These officers are also assigned to attend non-Government press conferences, cover court cases and arrivals and departures of people in the news, and gather local news for use in radio news bulletins.

36. The Press Section distributed more than 1,300 photographs and nearly 9,000 news and feature items on behalf of the United Kingdom Government to publicize the British way of life, new commercial and industrial products and achievements in all fields of endeavour.

RADIO NEWS ROOM

　　　　37. The Radio News Room provides news bulletins in both English and Chinese for the Colony's radio stations, Rediffusion and Rediffusion Television. Although part of the Press Division, the Radio News Room operates as an independent section, geared to the requirements of the radio stations it serves. The main sources of news for these bulletins are two international wire services to which the Department subscribes. News about Government activities are supplied by the Press Room. Other newsworthy events, including court cases, are covered by Assistant Information Officers drawn mainly from the Press Room.

　　　　38. Ten news bulletins in English and eight in Chinese are prepared daily by the radio news staff. They range in length from full 10-minute bulletins to one-minute summaries. A special 10-minute Asian and Hong Kong news bulletin is supplied to Radio Hong Kong for broadcast every evening.

　　　　39. The Radio News Room also helps to arrange interviews with Government officials for the radio stations, Rediffusion and Rediffusion Television for their special news magazine programmes. During the year, some 100 such interviews were arranged.

　　　　40. The Radio News Room is staffed throughout the 24 hours, and from 11 p.m. every night until 9 a.m. the next morning undertakes the task of answering enquiries from the press.

　　　　41. Daily weather information supplied by the Royal Observatory is transmitted by the Radio News Room through the Department's tele- printer services to all radio stations and newspapers.

PUBLICITY DIVISION

42. The Publicity Division has both local and overseas commitments. Locally it is responsible for handling publicity campaigns of all Govern- ment departments and for the production of posters, leaflets, pamphlets, cinema slides, films and other visual aids, much of it in both Chinese and English, to promote a better understanding between the public and the Government. The Division concentrates upon the production of newsreels, feature articles and photo-features for the dissemination of Hong Kong information abroad. The Press Division assists the Publicity Division by issuing press releases and feature articles and by organizing press visits, press conferences and special interviews.

　　　43. Publicity campaigns organized during the year under review include the anti-cholera campaign for the Medical and Health Depart- ment, the fire-prevention campaign for the Fire Services Department, the anti-firecracker campaign for the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs and health education campaigns for the Select Committees of the Urban Council in conjunction with the Urban Services Department. In the absence on leave of the Production Officer for six months of the year, much of the production work involved in these campaigns devolved on the Publications Editor.

　　　44. Both the Publicity and Press Divisions assisted the Government Lotteries Management Committee in promoting the sales of Government lottery tickets.

FEATURES

　　　45. The Features Section provides written material for a world-wide press syndication service and for most booklets and leaflets produced in the department. It also provides scripts and commentaries for documen- tary films and newsreels made by the Film Unit. There was a significant increase in the Section's output during the year, partly due to increased commitments undertaken by the Publicity Division and partly to the increased emphasis placed on trade promotion.

　　　46. The provision of newspaper and magazine features is a commit- ment that has to be met regularly despite other demands that often are made at short notice. Regular production of features is essential because the literary agents who handle them in various parts of the world will only maintain translation services, which are expensive, if they can be assured that they will receive enough material of a sufficiently high quality to make it a worthwhile operation for them financially. The features range in length from 500 to 3,000 words and are normally accompanied by up to a dozen glossy 10 inch x 8 inch black-and-white prints. Colour transparencies are also included whenever possible.

　　　47. The features deal with Hong Kong's problems and achievements and thus touch upon every facet of life in the Colony. As part of the Colony's campaign to sell more overseas, increased emphasis was placed during the year on features dealing with trade and economic subjects. Among subjects dealt with during the 12 months under review were aircraft engineering, the Sea School, the Sea Terminal, housing, the Plover Cove Scheme, tourism, the transistor radio industry and banking.

His Excellency the Governor, Sir David TRENCH, visited the Department in July and was shown the working of all sections. He is shown in the press section (above) and in the photographic darkrooms (below). During the year, 3,400 news items were issued by the press room; over 40,000 photographs were produced.

東

CENTRE

The department's first mobile cinema was brought into service during the year (left) and 68 film shows were organized for audiences numbering more than 470,000. Scenes for a colour documentary film on industry were shot in the Display Centre (above) and considerable trade promo- tion photography was carried out (below).

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ARITAN'S BENY DEJAS OTITLE

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COURIER

Weisse und gelbe Mädchen

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Good Business.

Magazine and newspaper features produced by the features section appear in all parts of the world (above). Most are sold through literary agents, who carry out the necessary translation work. All the features are illustrated. Over 100 local

newspapers, agencies and periodicals print items issued by the press section (below).

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　　　　48. The features are sent to literary agents in all parts of the world who translate them as necessary and sell them to newspapers and maga- zines. During the six years since the service was started, features and photographs produced by the Features Section have appeared in hundreds of the world's leading newspapers and magazines. The features are also issued through a number of official channels, including the Hong Kong Government London Office.

　　　　49. Trade fairs and other forms of trade promotion in various parts of the world have led to a big increase in the number of newspaper supple- ments devoted exclusively to Hong Kong, and the bulk of the material for these supplements is provided by the Features Section. The work is demanding and time-consuming, since most of the text must be written to suit the special requirements of the newspaper in which it is to appear in each country.

　　　　50. A highly detailed technical paper for overseas industrialists in- terested in manufacturing in Hong Kong was completed during the year. Called 'Joint Venture Hong Kong', it was distributed on a selective basis in all parts of the world. Booklets about leprosy, the City Hall, the port and narcotics were produced. A special booklet, illustrated entirely in colour, was produced for Hong Kong's exhibit at the Tokyo Trade Fair, and later adapted for use at other fairs anywhere in the world. Many of the booklets and leaflets now being produced are revised in new editions each year and correspondingly the amount of time that must be spent on this work mounts rapidly.

　　　　51. While recruitment of a new Films Officer was awaited, the Principal Information Officer (Features) devised and wrote a documentary that was produced in full colour. Called 'Made In Hong Kong' it is expected to play a vital part in the Colony's overseas trade drive.

PUBLICATIONS

　　　　52. The department was responsible for the preparation, editing and publication, with the Government Printer, of the Hong Kong Annual Report for 1964. Nearly 350 pages in length, it was illustrated entirely in colour for the first time. The Report was tautly edited throughout to curb the tendency to grow bulkier each year.

　　　　53. All booklets and leaflets produced in the department are designed and laid out in the Publications Section, and any publication revised in a new edition must also pass through the section.

　　　　54. The Colony's overseas trade drive has entailed the Publications Section in an increasing amount of work, much of it of an extremely detailed and time-consuming nature. Special leaflets and booklets are prepared for each trade fair and at one time different leaflets were being produced simultaneously for seven separate trade display locations. In addition, the Publications Editor handles most of the requests for visual publicity material received from Hong Kong Government offices overseas, and also from the offices being set up abroad by the Joint Public Relations Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. These requests range right across the spectrum of publicity from colour slides for use in stores and at lectures, to the provision of Hong Kong policewomen to help promote the Colony in the United States.

　　　　55. In the publications field the major project undertaken during the year was the preparation and production of a Port Handbook. Copiously illustrated and highly detailed, the handbook will become standard equipment for mariners and others using the port of Hong Kong. A con- siderable amount of time was also spent on designing and illustrating a handbook on the textile industry, and this work was continuing at the end of the period under review in this report.

PHOTOGRAPHS

　　　　56. The Photographic Section supplies all black and white and colour photographs for the department, whether for local or overseas use, and also carries out many and varied photographic assignments for other Government departments. Many of the booklets being produced, especially those for trade promotion, are wholly or largely illustrated in colour and this work-much of it of a difficult nature technically-takes up an in- creasing amount of time.

　　　　57. In the period under review 607 photographic assignments were carried out. A total of 36,963 black and white prints were produced, plus 3,301 colour transparencies.

　　　　58. The picture library, which is part of the Photographic Section, contains every negative ever taken, filed for easy reference. Contact prints of all pictures are filed by subject, and 1,000 of the best pictures are retained in 10 inch × 8 inch size for easy viewing. Stock prints and captions on all these show prints are always available so that pictures can be supplied to visiting journalists and other bona fide persons on demand.

DISTRIBUTION

　　　　59. The Distribution Section undertakes the distribution of all publicity material produced by the department, such as posters, books, films and pamphlets, in addition to the distribution of posters, literature and magazines received from Britain. The section also operates the Film Lending Library which contains mostly English-language 16-mm films supplied by the Central Office of Information. Productions by the Film Unit are added to the Library as they become available.

　　　　60. During the 12 months under review, the Section received from the Central Office of Information and distributed to schools, other educa- tional institutions, clubs, societies, etc. some 70,000 copies of posters and photo-posters with themes illustrating various aspects of the British way of life, about 100 radio tapes, some 7,000 copies of pamphlets, picture sets and fact sheets of all kinds, and about 500,000 magazines.

　　　　61. A total of 257,000 posters in connexion with the cholera preven- tion, anti-polio, anti-firecracker and other Government campaigns were distributed. The section also sold a number of special Government publications on behalf of the Government Printer. Three productions of the Film Unit were distributed to a total of 135 local theatres.

　　　　62. The Film Lending Library continued to be well patronized, and 3,388 films were issued on loan to organizations with a total estimated audience of 840,000. New films, including newsreels, added to the Library totalled 343. Of these, 215 films with television rights were supplied to Rediffusion (H.K.) Ltd. for possible television use.

　　　　63. The department's first mobile cinema was brought into service and 68 film shows were organized during the year for audiences number- ing more than 470,000.

ADVERTISING

　　　　64. The department was responsible for the placing, checking and control of all Government advertising in the local press. During the year, 1,012 advertisements and notices were issued and published in 7,779 editions of local newspapers.

FILM UNIT

65. The Film Unit continued to concentrate on the production of newsreels for release in Britain, the Commonwealth and the United States.

　　Fourteen newsreels and short films, three of them in colour, were made during the year. In a year which saw a record number of five typhoons causing gales in Hong Kong, the Film Unit produced three short films on typhoons which found an outlet in British newsreels.

　　　66. On 31st March, 1965, His Excellency the Governor, Sir David TRENCH, opened the Hong Kong-Jesselton section of the SEACOM (South-East Asia Commonwealth) Telephone Cable at the City Hall. The opening ceremony was covered by the Film Unit in colour for Messrs. Cable & Wireless Ltd.

　　　67. An item, entitled 'The Tea House of the Fortunate Birds', was screened on Australian television. The Hong Kong public's continued enthusiastic patronage of cinemas was turned to good account by the release of a fire prevention trailer to the Colony's cinemas as part of the Government's fire prevention campaign.

　　　68. In addition to short items, the Film Unit completed a colour film entitled 'A Race Against People'. This tells the story of the resettle- ment programme and is designed to supply background for an apprecia- tion of the Colony's social problems and the means being taken to over- come them. This colour film has been accepted for distribution in the United Kingdom by British Lion-Columbia and the Central Office of Information in London have acquired world rights in the picture.

69. For a more specific purpose, the Film Unit also made a colour film of Hong Kong's industrial and commercial potential to be shown as part of the trade promotion programme. The film, 'Made in Hong Kong', is at present being sought by a distributor for theatrical showing in Britain, and world distribution rights are also under negotiation.

　　　70. These two colour films, with the addition of two earlier colour documentaries, entitled 'This is Hong Kong' and 'Sea Festivals of Hong Kong', were sent to Wellington, New Zealand, for the ECAFE Conference and were given several screenings there at the Paramount Theatre.

71. A 20-minute training film for the Police Force was shot during the year but the end processes will not be completed until 1965-66. Work was started on a newsreel in colour of Hong Kong's aircraft engineering industry.

72. The Film Unit plans to increase its output next year with the arrival of the new Film Director who took up his duties on 9th March.

The target for 1965-66 is about an hour's duration of documentary films a year and two newsreel items each month on average. It is also hoped to produce a 10-minute magazine film once every two months for release in Hong Kong theatres.

FILM CENSORSHIP

73. At the end of March, 1965, there were 83 cinemas in Hong Kong- two more than the previous year.

74. Films for public exhibition within Hong Kong are subject to censorship in accordance with the law and must be viewed by the Film Censorship Section which has two theatres for this purpose, one of which is equipped for 16-mm and the other for 35-mm showings.

75. Films censored between 1st April, 1964 and 31st March, 1965 totalled 3,361 and details are shown in the appendix to this report. Apart from a large increase in TV features and advertising films, the figures show little variation over the previous year.

REFERENCE LIBRARY

76. The Reference Library provides a central research and reference centre for all sections of the department. The stock of books and reference material was further expanded and the recruitment of an additional Library Clerk helped in speeding up the re-classification of the books section.

77. The press clippings service was maintained and press clippings are now available not only to other government departments but also to local and visiting press correspondents.

78. The Library continued to be popular with students and members of the public who visit it to obtain information which is not available elsewhere. Much useful reference material was received from the Central Office of Information, London.

LONDON OFFICE INFORMATION SECTION

79. The Hong Kong Government Office in London is administra- tively part of the Commerce and Industry Department but the Information Section works in close collaboration with the Information Services Department, on which it depends for the bulk of the photographic and editorial material which forms the basis of its operation.

80. The staff in London consists of a Principal Information Officer, a Higher Executive Officer (assistant information officer), a librarian, a stenographer and an office junior.

　　　81. The Information Section of the London Office was closely con- cerned throughout the year with plans for the conversion of 55-58 Pall Mall into a trade and information centre and many planning meetings were held with the architect, designer, contractors and others.

　　　82. Recognition was obtained from H.M. Customs and Excise of 55-58 Pall Mall as an 'approved' exhibition site, which will greatly facilitate the importance of goods for display on these premises.

　　　83. Regular window displays at 54 Pall Mall were not affected by these changes and continued throughout the year. Subjects featured included the Hong Kong Police, Education in the Colony, the Colony Annual Report and the Central District Development Plan.

　　　84. Another major planning exercise, which occupied a great deal of the time of the Information Section during the year, was the prepara- tion of a series of 'Hong Kong Fortnights' to be held in large provincial centres in the United Kingdom. The first such 'Fortnight' was held in the Bull Ring Centre, Birmingham-a large shopping centre-at the begin- ning of July, 1965.

　　　85. These 'Fortnights' are designed to give the general public an overall picture of what Hong Kong is capable of producing. The oppor- tunity will also be taken to acquaint the public with some of the Colony's problems and achievements.

　　　86. At the close of the Birmingham exhibition, the exhibition will be transferred, in sequence over several months, to department stores in Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol and Ilford.

　　　87. Press relations form an important part of the work of the London Office, and press releases are prepared from the Daily Information Bulletins. Major news items, however, are despatched by press cable from Hong Kong and these are processed immediately at the London Office and passed on to the London newspapers and principal news agencies. A high proportion of usage was achieved for the 238 press releases issued during the year.

　　　88. Twenty British Press Surveys-a digest of what the British Press is saying about Hong Kong-were issued. This survey is sent to some 150 organizations and businessmen in the United Kingdom and is also

　　　redistributed by the Information Services Department in Hong Kong to interested parties in the Colony. It also provides background material for a monthly programme on British press comment about Hong Kong for the BBC Chinese Service.

　　　　89. The Information Section is also the sole distributing agency in Britain for photo-features prepared by the Information Services Depart- ment. These, together with press releases, are the basis of a continuing effort to inform the British public about Hong Kong and its achieve- ments, through the medium of the newspaper and magazine press.

　　　　90. Distribution of editorial and photographic material received from the Information Services Department during the year resulted in pro- minently displayed features in magazines with widely varied interests. These included The Times Educational Supplement, Contract Journal, Amateur Photographer, Journal of Commerce, Official Architecture and Planning, British Hospital Journal, Fishing News, The Sphere, Illustrated London News, International Construction, Shipping World, Consulting Engineer, Fire Protection Review, Metal Bulletin, The Lady, Geographical Magazine, Nursing Times, Children's Newspaper, Prison Officers' Magazine, Textile Weekly, Hair and Beauty, Board of Trade Journal.

　　　　91. Much assistance was given to the editorial staffs of The Statist, The Consulting Engineer and the Guardian, the Economist, Courier and City Press in the preparation of special supplements devoted to Hong Kong.

　　　　92. Newspapers which published press releases and photographs included The Times, Financial Times, the Guardian, Daily Mail, The Scotsman, Glasgow Herald, Newcastle Journal, Liverpool Daily Post, Yorkshire Evening Post, Northern Despatch and Cork Examiner.

　　　　93. The Information Section has built up a stock of several thousand black-and-white photographs and colour transparencies and subjects are regularly brought up-to-date by the Information Services Department. These photographs are in constant demand for reproduction by news- papers, magazines and publishing houses, as well as free-lance journalists, lecturers and commercial publicity organizations. They are also made available to artists, film studios and television companies for reference purposes.

　　　　94. During the year, the Information Section collaborated closely with the Information Services Department on the final editing, processing

and recording of commentaries for the Government Film Unit produc- tions: 'Race Against People', 'Made in Hong Kong' and a revised version of 'This is Hong Kong'.

　　　95. The Information Section's Library is responsible for the sale in the United Kingdom of Hong Kong Government publications, including the Colony Annual Report.

　　　　96. Other functions of the section include distribution of literature produced by the Information Services Department, the Department of Commerce and Industry and other Government departments; briefing of journalists; arrangement of lectures by Government officers on leave; supply of films and colour slides on loan; and the answering of many thousands of questions, by letter, telephone and personal visit, from members of the general public, business firms and schools.

97. The London Office through its Information Section, maintains the closest possible contact with the Colonial Office Information Department and other H.M. Government Departments, the Central Office of Informa- tion, Commonwealth organizations, the British Broadcasting Corporation and Independent Television and other agencies for the dissemination of public information, on matters concerning Hong Kong.

98. There is also regular and effective liaison between them and Messrs. Campbell-Johnson Ltd., the United Kingdom Public Relations Consultants of the Hong Kong Joint Committee, Mr. Michael PAGE of the Joint Committee's Brussels Office and Curtis Greensted Associates Ltd., and the United Kingdom representatives of the Hong Kong Tourist Association.

10th July, 1965.

N. J. V. WATT, Director of Information Services.

APPENDIX

FILMS CENSORED DURING THE PERIOD 1.4.64 TO 31.3.65

PANEL OF CENSORS

BOARD OF REVIEW

Country of Origin

Total

Sub-

Passed Clean

mitted

Passed With Cuts

Not

Total Passed

Passed Appeals Clean

Passed With

Not

Passed

Cuts

FEATURE FILMS (35 mm)

American-Japanese

American-Spanish

Australia

France...

Austria

British-Yugoslav

China Mainland

Denmark

Franco-Italian ...

Franco-Italian-Austrian

Franco-Italian-Belgian

...

Franco-Italian-German

Franco-Italian-Spanish

Germany

Greco-Turk

Hong Kong (Cantonese)

182

176

Hong Kong (Mandarin)

Hong Kong (Chin Chow)

Hong Kong (Miscellaneous) India

Indian-American

Indonesia

Italy

Italo-German

Italo-Spanish

***

Japan

Norway

Pakistan

Philippine

Poland

South Korea

Taiwan

United Kingdom

U.S.A.

U.S.S.R.

FEATURE FILMS (16 mm)

India

United Kingdom

U.S.A.

SHORTS

China Mainland

...

136

135

་་་

614

580

ดลล

| | |

France

Germany

Hong Kong

India

Italy

Japan

11115

...

United Kingdom U.S.A.

NEWSREELS

United Kingdom

U.S.A.

***

TELEVISION (Rediffusion)

16 mm Films

35 mm Films

ADVERTISING FILMS

157

124

111

110

1,726

1,723

1,727

1,724

745

TOTAL

3,361 3,289

Appeals against cuts. Censor's decisions upheld.

Code No.: 0344065

GPHK

Printed by the Government Printer

Price: $2.50