HONG KONG
ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
BY THE
DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES
N. J. V. WATT, O.B.E., J.P.
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 1967 - 68*
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY S. YOUNG, GOVERNMENT PRINTER AT THE GOVERNMENT PRESS, JAVA ROAD, HONG KONG
* 1st April 1967 - 31st March 1968
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$14.54 £1 (HK$1=1s. 42d.). The official rate for conversion to U.S. dollars is HK$6.06=US$1 (based on £1-US$2.40).
62277-10K-7/68
GENERAL
STAFF
CONTENTS
Paragraphs
1 - 33
34 - 47
NEWS DIVISION
Press Room
Radio News Room
Reference Library
POLICE PUBLIC INFORMATION BUREAU
PUBLICITY DIVISION
Editorial Section
Design and Display Section
Advertising
48 - 50
56
57-61
62
63 - 65
66 - 71
72 - 77
78 - 82
83
Distribution
84 - 87
Publications
Photographic
Film Unit.
FILM CENSORSHIP
88 - 94
95 - 96
97 - 108
*
109 - 114
TELEVISION AUTHORITY.
115 - 117
OSAKA EXPOSITION
118 - 124
LONDON OFFICE INFORMATION SECTION.
125 - 155
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GENERAL
THE Year of the Ram has been a testing time for the people of Hong Kong. For the staff of the Information Services Department, it has been a year of challenges met with resolution and an unflagging devotion to duty by all officers despite the heavy tasks imposed by the communist confrontation. From the lessons learned during the year, it has become necessary to review the needs of Government in the information and publicity fields, and at the close of the year proposals were submitted to Government for a re-organization of the departmental structure in order to cope with the increasing need for positive publicity to retain and fortify public confidence in Government both locally and overseas.
2. When the uneasy labour situation prevailing in the early months of 1967 erupted into violence at San Po Kong on 6th May, the communist press embarked on a campaign of intimidation and their violently provoca- tive propaganda was soon supported by the appearance of inflammatory posters and slogans painted on the walls of public buildings and on roadways.
3. The department's resources were fully mobilized and the ensuing months saw the staff working long hours. A number of senior officers were assigned to round-the-clock duties in various police control rooms. Officers seconded from other departments assisted duty officers in the press room to answer queries from reporters and the public, thus ensur- ing a speedier dissemination of accurate information throughout the day and night. Frequent briefings were organized for local editors and foreign correspondents.
4. The anti-government propaganda and the spreading of false and malicious rumours became major weapons in the communist bid to impose their will on the Government and people of Hong Kong.
5. Communist newspapers began to publish highly distorted accounts of the events that were taking place, designed to present the police and Government in the worst possible light. These accounts were accom- panied by contrived or unashamedly faked photographs. Rumours were fabricated and spread by the communists with the intention of
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spreading confusion and panic. Some of these rumours were plausible and more difficult to combat while others were too improbable to deceive even the most credulous.
6. To a large extent, these propaganda efforts were most effectively countered by the reports of the non-communist press, as well as by the Colony's radio and television services that produced a steady stream of factual reports and pictures.
7. Further counter-measures were taken by government departments and by the Information Services Department in particular. The Informa- tion Services Department took immediate steps to keep the public con- stantly informed of the true state of affairs over the radio, by press releases, by short films that were distributed to all cinemas and, where necessary and practicable, by word of mouth.
8. Additional and unusual publicity methods were brought into use. The communists made use of public address systems to heap invective and abuse on the Government and the police, and to incite their followers to violence. Communist loudspeakers installed at the Bank of China building were countered by rival and more powerful loudspeakers set up in buildings in the vicinity which regaled the public with the music of Cantonese opera and effectively drowned the stream of communist propaganda.
9. The communist-initiated confrontation strained to the limit the manpower and resources of the Information Services Department. To the communists, a newspaper is a tool serving political purposes. Fabricated and distorted accounts of events were blatantly published in the belief that even lies, when repeated enough times, will acquire a patina of seeming truth.
10. A regular flow of information was provided by the department to keep the public constantly and accurately informed of the situation from day to day. Many foreign correspondents resident in the Colony took to working in the press room and special efforts were made to provide them with English translations of reports and comments on events which had appeared in local Chinese newspapers, including those published by the communists.
11. Changes in demands on government information work were accelerated during the months that followed the start of the communist confrontation. A more positive and constructive attitude to information
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work was adopted as a result of the strenuous efforts made by the com- munists to discredit law and order and destroy public confidence in Government.
12. To achieve this, a special publicity unit was established within the department, and a publicity committee was formed to give advisory support. The establishment of this unit has enabled the department to play a very important part, not only in keeping the people of Hong Kong and the world accurately informed of up to the moment happenings but also to devise positive publicity to help keep Hong Kong's population confident and firm in their stand with Government against subversive elements.
13. The department has endeavoured to meet the changing challenges of confrontation by the communication of information through the press, radio and television, by the publication and distribution of posters, newspapers, leaflets and booklets, as well as by direct communication through its contacts with government departments, civil servants generally, the Police Force, public organizations, schools, societies and clubs of every kind.
14. The key to effective information work in the context of the confrontation has been the ability of the department and its special publicity unit to follow the changes in the political situation and produce the appropriate responses or anticipate and forestall the challenges of communist propaganda. Emphasis was placed upon the assessment of communist propaganda objectives. No publicity project, however small and apparently obvious, was carried out without a firm appraisal of its purpose and likely effects and whether these would contribute to the general current aims.
15. From the first, the task has been a clear-cut one-to expose the disruptive and violent efforts of the communists, to support the police and to rally public opinion behind the Government and against subversive elements.
16. As events progressed, the emphasis of counter-propaganda work changed to meet different challenges. During the period of strikes, the task was to counter communist appeals to workers, expose the com- munist intentions and reassure the public. The advent of bombs called for a different response and the communist exploitation of grievances
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was countered by efforts aimed at improving the government image and establishing public confidence so as to minimize the ability of the com- munists to exploit these grievances.
17. In the period of rioting and violent street demonstrations, the communists brought out single-sheet 'extras', presented as special joint editions of the 'Ta Kung Pao' and 'Wen Wei Pao' to rouse the feelings of their adherents. To counter these 'extras', which were handed out free, the department produced its own 'extras', either carrying direct counter-propaganda or positive pro-government messages. Great reliance was placed on cartoons, prepared by local newspaper cartoonists working on a commission basis. The G.I.S. 'extras' were also designed for use as posters. Short films in Cantonese were made for screening in cinemas to discourage the ordinary man in the street from taking part in demonstra- tions and to expose the communist aims and methods.
18. In conjunction with the Colony's broadcasting and television services, radio programmes were planned to meet the challenges of the food and transport strikes. To reassure the public and to avoid panic, the stock position and price of foodstuffs were broadcast twice a day. These radio programmes were very much ad hoc affairs dealing with immediate conditions-interviews to build up support for the Govern- ment, accounts of security measures, exhortations to avoid participation in street demonstrations.
19. An important aspect of this radio work has been the transcrip- tion service. A competently conducted radio interview is a simple and effective way of putting over a story in a convincing manner. Written versions of these radio interviews, mainly in Chinese, were produced and were welcomed by newspapers which appreciated their spontaneity and authenticity.
20. To promote the government image, more and more government officers, particularly senior Chinese officers, went on the air to explain their work.
21. A number of massive advertising campaigns in the Chinese newspapers were conducted during the year. The first of the series was designed to publicize the public and private organizations which pledged their support for the maintenance of law and order. Other advertising campaigns in the Chinese press included display advertisements giving details of vacancies in government schools for which pupils of com-
4
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munist schools could apply. Full pages were taken in Chinese newspapers on the day of the funeral of the six policemen killed at Sha Tau Kok to carry obituaries, photographs and tributes.
22. Newsheets produced by the department were designed for dual use as posters and were so used by the police. A poster was produced with a general theme of denunciation of trouble makers and it was so designed that special messages could be added to meet particular situa- tions. Other posters were produced for use in specialized situations. For example, posters dealing with emergency laws on intimidation and showing, from newspaper cuttings, the penalties imposed, were produced for use on ships. A coloured poster, defining them as loyal Hong Kong establishments, was produced for Hong Kong Chinese restaurants in Britain.
23. One of the department's major efforts has been in the massive production of cheap, simple Chinese leaflets. The contents and purpose of each leaflet reflected the changing situation. All were either printed in Chinese or included Chinese and English in one version. An elaborate production was the booklet 'Guardians of the People' which imitated a communist book called 'Who is Guilty of these Atrocities?'. The G.I.S. booklet followed the communist book's theme, design and style but showed successfully how the communists had distorted the truth. Two 'Dear Friend' letters were produced. These were reproductions of hand-written accounts in letter style of events which occured in Hong Kong in June and July. They were designed for despatch by Hong Kong residents, particularly in the New Territories, to their relatives and friends overseas to counter communist propaganda versions of the same happenings.
24. A leaflet on the freedoms respected in Hong Kong was designed and issued in conjunction with a newspaper campaign conducted by the department on the same theme. A leaflet, outlining in simple terms the Colony's progress and achievements in many fields of endeavour, was also associated with a newspaper campaign. Other leaflets, also in Chinese, were concerned with water restrictions, methods of resisting strike appeals, statements to show Government's determination to resist violence and subversion, and exposure of fictitious claims of the so-called communist 'struggle committees' in the New Territories. All leaflets were written in simple language and were illustrated where appropriate.
25. During June, the Hong Kong Tourist Association embarked on a campaign to show that it was safe for tourists to visit Hong Kong
5
despite the disturbances, which were having very little effect on tourists and their normal activities. Photographs were taken of overseas visitors shopping in the streets and in hotel arcades, going on sightseeing tours to scenic spots and dining in Chinese restaurants. These photographs, taken by staff photographers of the Information Services Department, were airmailed back to the home towns of the visitors for publication. This effort of the Tourist Association to maintain tourist confidence in Hong Kong, in conjunction with other plans of a similar nature, was extremely successful.
26. A major venture has been the production of a weekly four-page Chinese tabloid newspaper for Hong Kong workers in Britain who had become the target of concentrated communist propaganda. The Hong Kong community in Britain is a sizable one and restaurant workers from the New Territories and students represent 'opinion leaders' whose views on the Hong Kong situation, if coloured by communist propaganda and transmitted back to their families, could undermine local confidence in significant sectors. The weekly newspaper reprints material which has appeared in the local non-communist press.
27. In June, the department started a monthly newsreel in Cantonese for regular distribution to cinemas and television stations in Hong Kong. The same month, the department began publication of an English-language newspaper, attractively designed to present positive factual articles about Hong Kong as part of the campaign to maintain overseas confidence in Hong Kong.
28. Also, during the months of June, July and August, the department issued a series of Chinese articles daily under the title 'Indisputable Facts' which were forthrightly opinionated. These articles were designed to ridicule, expose and counter communist tactics, action and propaganda and were widely used by the non-communist press and broadcast twice daily by the Chinese Service of Radio Hong Kong.
29. In September, a survey was made into the pattern of newspaper readership in Hong Kong. As over 40 per cent of the women in Hong Kong are known to be illiterate, the survey was confined to men only. The survey showed that most of the leading non-communist newspapers gained increased circulations since the start of the communist confron- tation. Circulations of communist publications dropped sharply, some by as much as 50 per cent.
6
30. An analysis of the findings showed that 17 per cent of the male population read one or more communist newspapers at least twice a week while 13 per cent of the male population read communist newspapers occasionally. Two right-wing newspapers, which have the highest reader- ship among men, are read every day by one-third of the male population of Hong Kong. The survey showed that communist newspapers are read chiefly by people in the lower income groups, and men aged between 16 and 25 are less prone to read left-wing newspapers than older men.
31. Readership of the left-wing press appears to be considerably lower in the New Territories than it is in Kowloon or Hong Kong. Readers of left-wing publications have about the same degree of interest in local news as other people but they have less interest in overseas political news. They have more interest in news of events in Mainland China and much more interest in short stories and tips on dogs and horses. Newspapers which hold interest for women as well as for men have more readers than those whose appeal is strictly masculine. Newspapers whose appeal is chiefly to people in the lower income group tend to have fewer readers per copy than newspapers which are widely read by people in the upper income group.
32. Some 200 publications, including 44 Chinese and four English daily newspapers, are currently being produced by the Chinese and English language press in Hong Kong. They cover all shades of political opinion. It is estimated that, between them, the Chinese and English language newspapers have an overall circulation of about 1.5 million copies a day.
33. 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 payments of fines, damages or costs of a libel action in which a newspaper or publication may become involved.
34.
STAFF
The Director of Information Services, Mr. N. J. V. WATT, was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1968 New Year Honours List. He went on vacation leave on 24th July, 1967. During his absence, Mr. M. A. B. STEVENSON, Deputy Director of Information Services, acted as Director. Mr. WATT resumed duty on his return from leave on 18th September, 1967.
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35. Mr. D. N. WILLIS, Chief Press Officer, was appointed on 14th June, 1967 to act as a supernumerary Deputy Director. Mr. R. S. SUN, Principal Information Officer, was seconded to the New York Office of the Trade Development Council for a period of two years from 16th August, 1967. Mr. O. B. TALIP was appointed Acting Press Officer on 14th June, 1967 to succeed Mr. SUN. Mr. R. M. LAI, Principal Information Officer, acted as Chief Press Officer from 1st January, 1968. Mr. Joseph CHENG, Acting Senior Information Officer, was seconded from the Press Division to the Police Public Information Bureau for press liaison duties on 1st March, 1968. Mr. B. J. HICKMAN, Senior Information Officer in the Publicity Division was seconded to the Bureau for publicity duties at the end of March, 1968.
36. Mr. R. W. MCLAREN, Chief Publicity Officer, left Hong Kong on 26th November, 1967 to proceed on vacation leave in the United Kingdom. Mr. R. E. MITCHELL arrived in the Colony on 24th October, 1967 to take up his appointment as Photographic Adviser.
37. Mr. B. G. D. SALT, Film Officer, proceeded on vacation leave on 12th March, 1968 prior to completion of contract. Mr. R. L. J. WRAIGHT, Production Officer, proceeded on vacation leave on 15th July, 1967 prior to completion of contract. Mr. WRAIGHT was succeeded by Mr. E. A. HACKER, who arrived in the Colony on 4th December, 1967.
38. Messrs. B. K. ROBINSON and P. F. Moss were promoted to the rank of Principal Information Officer on 8th May, 1967. Mr. D. A. MARCHBANKS, Senior Information Officer, went on leave on 2nd October, 1967 prior to completion of his contract on 21st January, 1968. Messrs. P. W. DOUGHERTY, B. J. HICKMAN and A. S. LYNFORD joined the depart- ment as Senior Information Officers in the Features Section.
39. Two locally-appointed Information Officers in the Press Division left for the United Kingdom in May and September to attend a four- months training course arranged by the Commonwealth Office for Over- seas Information Officers.
40. Commander R. S. BARRY retired as Chief Film Censor on 1st January, 1968 after more than 17 years service and was succeeded by Mr. William HUNG Shih-how.
41. Mr. D. J. DUNCAN SMITH, Senior Executive Officer, joined the department on 17th July, 1967 as Secretary to the Television Authority.
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42. Mr. H. R. MINU, Executive Officer, was transferred to the New Territories Administration on 17th October, 1967. He was succeeded by Mr. J. R. TJON. Mr. H. K. YUEN, Executive Officer, joined the department on 24th July, 1967 to fill a new post of Executive Officer in the Publicity Division.
43. Mr. G. S. BLUNDELL arrived in Hong Kong in December to take up his appointment as Exhibition Administrator for the Japan World Exposition to be held in Osaka in 1970,
44. Mr. D. C. M. RIVETT-CARNAC, Regional Adviser on Information Policy in Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign Office, arrived in Hong Kong in July on a short attachment to the department to assist in the increased information work arising from the confrontation.
45. Mr. M. S. BAKER-BATES, Second Secretary at the British Embassy in Tokyo, came to Hong Kong in September on a short attachment to assist the department in its liaison work with Japanese correspondents resident in the Colony.
46. I would like to place on record my deep appreciation of the in- valuable work which Messrs. RIVETT-CARNAC and BAKER-BATES rendered to the department during their attachments.
47. I would also like to express my thanks to the Directors of the various government departments who placed staff at my disposal during a period of critical staff shortage. These officers, who were attached to the department for varying periods, rendered outstanding service and had a high sense of duty and loyalty which was very gratifying.
NEWS DIVISION
48. The News Division supplies news and information to newspapers, magazines and specialist journals and to both local and overseas newsreel, radio and television organizations. A round-the-clock news service in English and Chinese is maintained to meet the requirements of journalists who have to meet various deadlines. The division has immediate contact with all the leading newspapers, agencies and broadcasting services by teleprinter.
49. The News Division's objective is to encourage communication between government departments and the public through the mass
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information media. Frequent use is made of informal press conferences and interviews with heads of government departments and other senior government officers.
50. The division includes, in addition to the press room, a reference library and a radio news room preparing world and local news bulletins for Hong Kong's broadcasting and television services.
Press Room
51. The press room produces a Daily Information Bulletin containing an average of a dozen news items and articles. These range from routine traffic arrangements to the work of other government departments and major policy decisions and measures. The bulletin is prepared in English and Chinese and is distributed through press boxes to more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, news agencies, radio and television stations.
52. The Daily Information Bulletin 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 also used to alert news editors to the occurrence of fires, landslides, house collapses, emer- gency aircraft landings and other incidents which require immediate coverage. During the year under review, some 9,000 items were sent over the teleprinter to 42 subscribers.
53. Officers manning the enquiry desk day and night are in constant contact with newspapers by telephone, answering press questions over the whole range of government activity. About 9,100 press enquiries were answered during the period under review.
54. A regular feature of the press room's work is the arrangement of personal interviews at which journalists and radio broadcasters can meet and discuss with responsible senior government officers matters of public interest. In the year under review 310 such interviews were arranged. In addition, the press room organized 22 press conferences and 18 press visits. About 800 press photographs were distributed to Hong Kong newspapers. A large proportion of these were issued during the disturb-
ances.
55. The Daily Press Summaries, providing a digest of comments, news items and letters concerning Government which appear in the Chinese press, are prepared by the press room for the information of
10
senior civil servants and members of Councils. Because of the greater interest in the reports and comments in the Chinese press during the confrontation, the distribution list for the Daily Press Summaries had to be substantially expanded.
56. Many photographs and news and feature items were distributed to Hong Kong newspapers 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
57. The staff of the radio news room prepare news bulletins and radio news items on world and local events for broadcast by Radio Hong Kong, Commercial Radio, Rediffusion, Rediffusion Television and Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited.
58. The radio news room works to the requirements of the broad- casting organizations who are its customers. The main sources of news for radio bulletins are two international news agencies while reports about government activities are compiled from releases issued by the press room. Radio news room staff are also required to cover local events for inclusion in the news bulletins.
59. Fourteen news bulletins and summaries in English and Chinese ranging from two to ten minutes are prepared daily by the radio news room staff who work in shifts, manning the news room throughout the day and night.
60.
When curfews were imposed during the disturbances in May, radio news room staff prepared hourly news summaries which were broadcast overnight from two special studios. Two of these news sum- maries-broadcast at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.-have since become a permanent feature of the daily news broadcasts because of its popularity with house- wives. Since January, 1968 two more news summaries have been in- troduced, one broadcast at 12 noon and the other at 7 p.m. During weekends, an extra news summary is supplied for broadcast over the English services of Radio Hong Kong and Commercial Radio, both of which close at 1 a.m. on Sunday mornings. To meet the extra demand for radio news summaries, an additional teleprinter has been installed to facilitate the transmission of these items to the broadcasting stations.
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61. The radio news room also despatches, on behalf of the Royal Observatory, weather reports to the broadcasting studios. Special an- nouncements of public interest, such as traffic re-routing following traffic accidents or other mishaps, are also sent to the various stations and newspapers.
Reference Library
62. The reference library provides a reference and research centre, not only for the use of the department, but also for local and visiting journalists, other government departments and occasionally members of the public. It maintains a comprehensive clipping service and a stock of some 2,000 books and hundreds of pamphlets, leaflets and other reference documents.
POLICE PUBLIC INFORMATION BUREAU
63. The Police Public Information Bureau, headed by a Chief Super- intendent of Police, was formed in February, 1968 and became fully operational on 11th March, 1968. Two Senior Information Officers were seconded from the department to the bureau in March, 1968 for press liaison and publicity duties.
64. The main function of the bureau is the collection, collation and presentation of information, connected both directly and indirectly with police action and policy, for dissemination to the public.
65. Close liaison on press and publicity matters is maintained between the department and the Police Public Information Bureau. The bureau makes use of the facilities and services provided by both the Press and Publicity Divisions.
PUBLICITY DIVISION
66. The production of all visual forms of publicity-pictorial, photo- graphic, documentary and exhibitory-is the responsibility of the Publicity Division, and the distribution of this publicity is worldwide.
67. In its overseas campaigns, the Publicity Division continues to project the rapid social and economic progress and dynamic industrial growth of Hong Kong as a more valid image than the outmoded popular concept of a quaint oriental seaport. However, the necessity for attracting
12
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the tourist as well as the business investor and industrial speculator calls for articles, films and display material which balance the old with the new and present Hong Kong as a world of harmonious contrasts where time-honoured traditions and skills go hand-in-hand with twentieth century enterprise and technology.
68. An increasing part of the division's output is directed at the resident Hong Kong populace in an endeavour to promote greater understanding between the public and the Government. While a growing proportion of this publicity is produced exclusively in Chinese, to cater for the 98 per cent of the population who are of Chinese origin, many items continue to receive bi-lingual treatment and must be capable of adaptation in both language and design elements.
69. Publicity campaigns are, by their very nature, necessarily of slower maturity and longer duration than the kind of on-the-spot reportage on current events handled by the News Division. They entail a great deal of consultation with interested parties, which may include other government departments as well as private and commercial bodies, and must maintain high standards of production, whether these call for aesthetic merit in the case of visual design or technical efficiency in the form of film process- ing and printed text.
70. In addition this material, wherever it continues to be applicable, must be constantly brought up to date to keep pace with Hong Kong's speedy development in every field.
71. Publications must be re-edited to embody the latest statistical information, photographs must be replaced to show the most recent alterations to the urban skyline, and films and exhibits must be similarly revised to incorporate the latest advances in the social and economic environment. These exacting requirements for the revision of existing material go hand-in-hand with the planning and innovation of new publicity projects and, indeed, can be just as time consuming.
Editorial Section
72. The main function of the editorial section is to produce articles, professionally styled, for newspapers and magazines overseas. This calls for a certain amount of salesmanship in the competitive sphere of inter- national public relations, and it is gratifying to record the extensive use made, in publications all over the world, of material emanating from the division. The policy of selling this material, rather than offering it free, has been found to achieve the best results in terms of effective distribution.
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73. The year saw intensive efforts to streamline this service with a greater emphasis on shorter, more compact articles, ranging in length from 500 to 1,000 words, and on single-picture features accompanied by deep captions. The feature articles, dealing with all aspects of life in the Colony, are normally supported by a comprehensive set of 10′′ x 8′′ glossy prints which illustrate in depth the subject of the articles.
74. This concern with brevity led to a greater frequency of dis- tribution in the latter part of the year when the staff of the section was increased with the arrival of three additional feature writers. By the end of the year, features were being turned out at the rate of six per month. Over the year as a whole, 44 features were produced which were distributed to overseas publications through ten agencies.
75. A new aspect of the features service was the production of features in Chinese, designed particularly for use by Chinese newspapers in the South East Asian region. These found an immediate and encouraging response.
76. As mentioned in the opening paragraphs of this report, another innovation was the production of a monthly tabloid newspaper, entitled The World of Hong Kong, intended to inform people overseas of new achievements and developments in the Colony. Presented in a chatty, informal style, this illustrated eight-page publication is also designed to serve as a ready source of material for Hong Kong's many overseas representatives, official and unofficial, who regularly discuss, write about and lecture on Hong Kong affairs. By the end of the year circulation had risen to 24,000.
77. One of the editorial section's biggest commitments is the provision. of material for special supplements on Hong Kong by leading newspapers and magazines overseas. Among those published during the year were supplements in the New Commonwealth, Financial Mail and Achievement.
Design and Display Section
78. During the year, the design and display section created and processed publicity material for various government departments and the Trade Development Council. Over 3 million pamphlets and nearly
750,000 posters were produced during the year under review.
79. The section also designed window displays publicizing various achievements of the Government. During the year, seven displays were
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A section of the press room at work during the communist-inspired disturbances. The press and radio news rooms operate a 24-hour day and night information service to keep the public constantly and accurately informed of the true state of affairs by wireless broadcasts and press releases.
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The photographic dark rooms above) produced 40,500 black and white prints and nearly 2,100 colour transparencies luring the year.
The Features Section provides material for a world-wide press syndication service. Feature articles covering all aspects of life in Hong Kong are produced. Each article is illustrated by black and white photographs and colour transparencies are also provided whenever possible. The hundreds of magazines and the thousands of newspaper clippings received from abroad (top right) are some indication of the success of the department's overseas features service. To let people overseas know what is happening in Hong Kong, the department produces a monthly tabloid newspaper 'The World of Hong Kong'. Editorial staff (lower right) shown at work on the illustrated eight-page publication, which is presented in a chatty, informal style. Circulation of the monthly newspaper exceeds 24,000 copies.
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54
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One of the Publicity Division's technical services is the visualizing, designing and publishing of posters, handbills and leaflets for govern- ment publicity campaigns. There is an unceasing demand for this type of visual publicity (left) by most government departments. Over 34 million pamphlets and nearly 750,000 posters were produced during the year.
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In March 1968, a ten-day exhibition was held in the City Hall to illus- trate the work of the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department in the field of recreation. The dis- play (above) was designed and mounted by the Information Services Department. It was a great success and was attended by over 20,000 people from all walks of life.
EXPORTS
OF HING KONG MADE GOODS
德
A window display (lower right) at
54, Pall Mall, London, showing
Hong Kong as a bustling industrial
centre exporting more than ever
after the Communist-inspired dis- turbances.
£34m
£33-5m
£32m
£31-5m
£31 m
REGT
£29-5m
1947
£274m
£28m
£275m
£275m
£25 m
£235m
MUAL EXPORTS
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HONG KONG TAKES IT IN ITS STE
His Excellency the Governor, Sir David TRENCH, visited the department in June and was shown the working of all sections. In the projection room of the 35mm censorship theatre (top right), Sir David shares a joke with the head projectionist, Mr. LEW Pui.
The Film Unit was engaged on two major pro- ductions during the year. The unit also undertook the production of a monthly magazine film called 'Hong Kong Today' which is shown in local cinemas. Eleven issues of this monthly magazine film were made during the year. Film Unit staff at work in a primary school classroom (above).
Commander R. S. BARRY retired as Chief Film Censor in December after more than 17 years' service in the department. He is shown (lower right) receiving farewell souvenirs from Mr. WATT, who made the presentation on behalf of all staff in the department.
The Distribution Section is responsible for the distribution of pamphlets, booklets, posters and films produced by the department. Over 34 million pamphlets and leaflets and nearly 750,000 posters were distributed during the year. Helicopters of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (above) give a helping hand to enable pamphlets and booklets to reach people living in remote villages in the New Territories.
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Prandtl
Bat-wing shaped sails will be the main decorative feature of Hong Kong's Pavilion at the Japan World Exposition to be held in Osaka in 1970. The materials to be used for these sails had to undergo the most stringent tests in a wind tunnel (above) at the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Hong Kong.
put up in this department's display window and one window display was mounted in the Government Publications Centre. A permanent educational display on the cure and prevention of tuberculosis was designed and mounted at the Wanchai Chest Clinic for the Medical and Health Depart- ment. Another five similar displays are planned for other chest clinics in Hong Kong and Kowloon in 1968-69.
80. A ten-day public exhibition was held in the City Hall in March, 1968 to illustrate the work of the Urban Council and the Urban Services Department in the field of recreation. The display was designed and mounted by the section for the Parks, Recreation and Amenities Select Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. A. de O. SALES. This exhibi- tion was very successful and was attended by over 20,000 people from all walks of life.
81. The main Government exhibition of the year was the Government Pavilion at the Silver Jubilee Exhibition sponsored by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong and held on the Hung Hom reclamation from 5th December, 1967 to 9th January, 1968. The theme of the Government exhibition was to show how the activities of the Government benefit the ordinary people of Hong Kong. Many models of public works projects were on display. The Government exhibition was a great success, with thousands of people visiting it every day. More than 2,000,000 people attended the Chinese Manufacturers' Association Ex- hibition.
82. During 1967, the department's mobile cinema unit temporarily stopped its regular film shows in public since it was not desirable to attract large crowds and, instead, the mobile cinema unit concentrated upon smaller private shows to clubs, schools, police stations and hospitals. The unit resumed public film shows in the middle of December, since when a total of 116 film shows were given to nearly 221,000 people in resettlement estates, schools, clubs, churches, kaifong associations and other institutions. Altogether 300 films were used to make up the programmes.
Advertising
83. The design and display section also designed and produced special advertisements for overseas newspaper supplements. Some 950 govern- ment press advertisements, covering more than 6,500 insertions, were placed in local English and Chinese language newspapers during the
year.
.15
Distribution
84. The distribution section is responsible for the distribution of pamphlets, booklets, posters and films produced by the department or received from England. It also operates a film-lending library which has a stock of over 600 titles, mostly English-language 16 mm films, either supplied by the Central Office of Information or produced by the film unit. A small percentage of the films have been dubbed in Cantonese to cope with requests locally.
85. During the year under review, some 43,000 copies of photo- posters, fact sheets, magazines, etc. received from the Central Office of Information, were distributed to schools, clubs, organizations and other institutions. These publications cover a very wide range of subjects with themes illustrating various aspects of the British way of life. One hundred and eighty radio tapes received from England were distributed to the radio stations for possible use.
86. Over one million copies of various publications produced by the department were distributed locally and overseas. A total of 110,000 posters, printed in connection with campaigns launched by government departments, was also distributed.
87. The film-lending library has become very popular, and during the year 4,798 films were loaned to various organizations for showing to an estimated audience of 700,000. Two hundred and sixty new films, includ- ing newsreels supplied from the United Kingdom and by the film unit, were added to the library. Those which have television rights were for- warded to Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Limited and Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited for screening.
Publications
88. The emphasis on speedily produced leaflets and other publications during the disturbances led to a decline in the normal publications pro- gramme.
89. This decline was most marked in the sphere of promotional activities in connection with Hong Kong's overseas trade, where much of the effort of the publications section had hitherto been directed.
90. Three publications which adhered to pre-arranged schedules were a profusely-illustrated booklet celebrating the fifth anniversary of the
16
City Hall, a full-colour pamphlet illustrating and describing the Colony's outstanding achievement in the field of resettlement, and a revised edition of Hong Kong Conditions and Cost of Living.
91. The Colony's annual report, Hong Kong 1967, once more proved the major item on the publications programme and maintained the high standard of content and illustration set in previous years. Steadily increas- ing demand raised the print order to 21,000 copies.
92. By the end of the year, production was well advanced on a booklet describing Careers With the Hong Kong Government, designed mainly for school leavers seeking employment, and Policing Hong Kong, a booklet intended to attract recruits to the Police Force.
93. Also in the course of production at the year's end were new editions of Hong Kong An Introduction, Facts About Hong Kong and the Port of Hong Kong, the latter being the third revision of a handbook produced on behalf of the Marine Department.
94. Twenty-one new leaflets, designed to explain to the public in simple language various government procedures, were produced in Chinese. The subjects chosen for these leaflets dealt with questions posed by most people attending the Public Enquiry Centres all over the Colony. They range from 'How to Apply for an Identity Card' to 'How to Apply for a Cafe and Soda Fountain Licence'. The number of copies printed varied from 3,000 to 185,000 depending on the immediacy of the problems involved.
Photographs
95. The photographic section continued to provide photographs of a high standard throughout the year. These were used in official publica- tions for Government publicity and for projects concerned with tourism and trade promotion. Many and varied assignments were undertaken on behalf of other government departments. The photographers of the section also covered various government functions for release to the local news- papers. Nearly 900 photographic assignments were carried out during the year, resulting in the production of 40,500 black and white prints and nearly 2,100 colour transparencies. All the colour transparencies used in Hong Kong 1967, the Colony's Annual Report, are produced by the section.
17
96. The photographic library provides a comprehensive stock of prints and transparencies covering every subject and activity. These are filed for easy reference so that pictures can be selected quickly and supplied to visiting journalists requiring official illustrations of life in Hong Kong. Contact prints of all pictures are filed by subject and over 1,200 show prints are available, fully captioned for immediate issue.
Film Unit
97. Two major films, shot during the previous year, were completed and shown during the year under review. These were 'Report to the Gods' and 'Suicide on Hire Purchase'.
98. 'Report to the Gods' is a 26-minute colour documentary on Hong Kong and its people. Seen through the eyes of Tso Kwan, the kitchen god, it reviews the activities and progress of almost every facet of Hong Kong life, from ancient handcrafts to modern industries and from fisher- men to farmers. Tso Kwan was played by the well-known Cantonese comedian, LEUNG Sing-bor.
99. 'Suicide on Hire Purchase' was made in connection with a cam- paign against drug addiction. It is in black and white and concerns the story of the father of a happy but poor Chinese family who becomes an addict. It shows that not only does an addict ruin his own life, but is also liable to break up his family. The film publicizes the way to a cure and a return to a normal and useful life.
100. The major activity of the unit during the year was the initiation of the monthly Cantonese news magazine film,' Hong Kong Today', which is distributed each month to about 25 local cinemas and is also receiving some non-theatrical distribution. Eleven issues were made during the year. Just before the end of January 1968, the film unit completed a 12-minute review of events during the year, called 'The Year of the Ram', for showing on local television screens.
101. The severe drought experienced during the summer resulted in three trailers being produced. These were designed to persuade people to economize on the use of water. However, the last trailer was not issued as the advent of heavy rains just before the trailer was completed made its use unnecessary.
102. During the disturbances, the film unit produced two short trailers for cinema use. These were designed to fortify public confidence
18
in the Government and to advise the people not to take part in communist- inspired gatherings. Prints were made for distribution and were shown in every cinema in the Colony, except the communist cinemas, within 36 hours.
103. A certain amount of footage of the disturbances, as well as incidents on the border, was taken by the film unit. Two air crashes at Kai Tak were covered for overseas newsreels. The visits of Mr. BOWDEN and Lord SHEPHERD were covered for official newsreels, and 16 mm synchronous interviews with various businessmen were made for use on overseas television. These were designed to combat the bad publicity generated overseas because of the disturbances.
104. Hong Kong Week was covered in colour for the Central Office of Information's magazine film 'Roundabout' as well as in black and white for overseas newsreels. A contract was entered into with Associated British-Pathé to make a 13-minute film of the Colony, with Hong Kong Week as its theme. The film, entitled 'A Week In Hong Kong', is in colour.
105. The Governor's annual message to the people of Hong Kong was recorded in picture and sound for use by the two local television stations.
106. In February 1968, the film unit was approached by the Labour Department to make a film on 'Safety on Construction Sites'. In six days a 13-minute film was scripted and completed with the co-operation of the Peninsula Electric Power Co., on location at the Peninsula Electric Power Company generating station on Tsing Yi Island.
107. A film was made on the removal of slum dwellers in the Yau Ma Tei area, the clearance of these slums, and the resettlement of the residents in resettlement estates. The slum clearance were shot in black and white and the resettlement sequences in colour.
108. A short instructional film was shot towards the end of the year under review. This showed the methods used by the Fire Services Depart- ment to cut open a wrecked car, with passengers trapped inside, in the event of the doors being jammed. An old car was used for this purpose, and was deliberately wrecked by driving it over a cliff, followed by demonstrations of the techniques used in rescuing its occupants.
19
FILM CENSORSHIP
109. Films for public exhibition in Hong Kong are subject to censor- ship in accordance with the Film Censorship Regulations 1953.
110. The film censorship section has two theatres for censorship purposes, one of which is equipped for the viewing of 35 mm films and the other for both 35 mm and 16 mm films. Another room is equipped specially for censoring television films.
111. Films censored during the period under review totalled 5,925, compared with 3,060 in the previous year. Details are shown in the Appendix to this report.
112. Fewer feature films in Cantonese made in Hong Kong were submitted for censorship. The number declined to 104 as compared with 111 in the preceding year. Feature films in Mandarin showed an increase from 56 to 63.
113. The number of television films submitted for censorship increased considerably following the opening of Hong Kong's second television broadcasting station, operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, which provides wireless television.
114. At the end of March 1968, there were 100 cinemas in the Colony, as against 99 in the previous year.
TELEVISION AUTHORITY
115. The Television Ordinance provides for the appointment of a Television Authority and a Television Advisory Board. The Authority's function is to secure proper standards of programme content and technical efficiency in wireless television and generally to administer the provisions of the ordinance. The Television Advisory Board's function is to advise the Authority in the exercise of its function; to submit proposals and recommendations to the Governor-in-Council on matters affecting techni- cal, programme and advertising standards and the renewal or revocation of licences; to conduct enquiries into such matters as may be referred to it by the Governor-in-Council or the Television Authority; and to publish reports on the progress of television. The Board consists of three public officers, one of whom is appointed chairman, and two members of the public. During the year it met on two occasions.
20
116. Within the Information Services Department, a small secretariat has been established to enable the Director of Information Services to carry out his statutory functions as the Television Authority. This secretariat is headed by a Senior Executive Officer who is underpinned by administrative staff. Funds have been approved for the purchase of television sets and cinematograph equipment in order to facilitate the monitoring of live and pre-recorded television material. In addition, approval was obtained for a local private company to undertake on behalf of the Authority the monitoring of advertising material. This latter facility is necessary in order to ensure that the provisions of the ordinance are maintained.
117. During the year the Television Authority secretariat provided a useful liaison between Government departments and the television com- panies in assisting the companies to obtain programme material from Government sources and the participation by many senior Government officers in their topical events programmes. The Authority has also pro- vided an administrative link between Government and the television stations in connection with the proposed Educational Television pro- grammes which are due to commence in 1969. Negotiations to date have been reasonably successful to the extent that the companies have promised their full co-operation in this matter.
OSAKA EXPOSITION
118.
In June, Government announced that it had accepted an invita- tion by Japan to take part in the Japan World Exposition to be held in Osaka in 1970. This exhibition, a first category general exhibition within the scope of the International Exhibitions Convention, will be on a similar scale to the 1967 Exposition held in Montreal.
119. The central theme of the Japan World Exposition is 'Progress and Harmony for Mankind' and it is expected that some 30 million people, including one million overseas tourists, will see the exhibition.
120. Participation in the Osaka Exposition will enable Hong Kong to publicize the many achievements which have been made to overcome the tremendous problems of a congested population-achievements which have grown and developed constantly during the last few years to the benefit of the whole community.
21
121. The design of the Hong Kong exhibit will emphasize progress in the many fields of development as well as Hong Kong's successful transi- tion from entreport trade to a leading manufacturing centre. The exhibit will also enhance the image of Hong Kong overseas, help to show the community's complete confidence in the future and publicize local prod- ucts and promote trade and tourism. An Advisory Committee was appointed in November to advise the Director of Information Services in the planning of Hong Kong's participation in the 1970 Osaka Exposi- tion. The chairman of the committee is Sir Sik-nin CHAU. The members are Mr. Harold LEE (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourist Association), Mr. G. C. HAMILTON (Deputy Colonial Secretary), Mr. T. D. SORBY (Director of Commerce and Industry), and Mr. N. J. V. WATT (Director of Information Services). Mr. D. J. DUNCAN SMITH is Secretary of the Advisory Committee.
122. Hong Kong's pavilion will cover an area of about 34,000 square feet and will depict Hong Kong as a dynamic, thriving industrial and commercial community using the best of modern technology. It will show life in Hong Kong in the full rather than concentrating on one aspect. It will also show Hong Kong as a progressive, socially-minded community which is at the same time a unique tourist centre.
123. The basic design for the Hong Kong Pavilion consists of two buildings, linked by a covered way in the form of a bridge and surrounded by water. The main decorative feature will be locally-made bat-wing shaped sails atop the pavilion. These sails, in their natural gay colours, will move in a changing pattern as the wind directions alter. The tallest of the sails will rise to some 70 feet above the pavilion roof. The materials to be used for these sails had to undergo very stringent tests in a wind tunnel at the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Hong Kong.
124. Hong Kong fishermen will be present to trim the sails and to formally raise and lower them at a ceremony each day. If a typhoon blows, all the sails will be lowered and Hong Kong's normal typhoon signals will be hoisted above the pavilion. The tall centre mast, decorated with flags, will be 90 feet in height. Construction work on the pavilion will begin in the autumn of 1968.
22
LONDON OFFICE INFORMATION SECTION
125. The public relations work arising out of the political disturbances, which began in May, 1967, dominated the activities of the information section of the Hong Kong Government Office in London throughout the remainder of the year under review.
126. At first, the task of the section was to provide factual background information to press, radio and television as a counter to some of the more 'sensational' news reports emanating from the Colony. Its work in this connection was greatly facilitated by a steady inflow of cabled 'situation reports' from the Information Services Department, and first- hand impressions were gained by frequent telephone contact between the Principal Information Officer in London and senior members of the staff of the Information Services Department in Hong Kong.
127. From the information supplied by these means, daily (later, twice weekly) situation reports were circulated to an increasing number of business houses, political organizations and individuals with interests in Hong Kong. These reports were also sent to a large number of govern- ment officers on leave in Britain.
128. A survey of business recipients in August produced an almost unanimous 'Yes' to the question: 'Has this service been of value to you?' Over 90 per cent of those who replied said it had enabled them to form a more accurate impression of what had been happening in the Colony than they might have gained from press reports alone, and nearly 80 per cent said the information provided had been useful to them from a business or commercial point of view.
129. At the height of the disturbances, regular and close contact was maintained with all sections of the press and other mass-media. By this means, the section was often able to correct misinformation or 'slanted' news stories before they appeared in print, and many of the interviews given to journalists resulted in articles and editorial comment favourable to the Colony.
130. A press conference arranged at London Office for H.E. the Governor during his visit to London in September, 1967, was attended by some 30 leading Commonwealth and diplomatic correspondents.
131. Immediate dissemination of information was made possible by the fact that the section had, at the beginning of the year, become a sub-
23
scriber to Universal News Services-a private teleprinter network to the majority of British newspapers, broadcasting services and foreign news agencies.
132. Throughout the confrontation period, the section supplied the Information Services Department with daily summaries by cable of the news and comment appearing in British newspapers and on radio and television (the latter through a subscription to a monitoring service). Cuttings of every newspaper report were airmailed daily to the Informa- tion Services Department in Hong Kong. Complete files of cuttings from British and Hong Kong newspapers were also maintained in the section's reference library.
133. As the disturbances subsided, the emphasis of the section's public relations work was shifted to the maintenance of commercial con- fidence in Hong Kong. The Principal Information Officer visited the Colony in September for talks with the Information Services Department, the Commerce and Industry Department and the Trade Development Council. On his return to London, he became responsible for setting up and operating a public relations programme jointly with the London Office of the Trade Development Council, aimed specifically at main- taining confidence among British business firms in Hong Kong's con- tinuing economic viability.
134. Funds for this were provided by the Trade Development Council, which also took over the cost of distribution of the weekly, cyclo-styled commercial and economic news bulletins, which had taken the place of the situation reports. By the end of the year, these bulletins were being sent regularly to one thousand addresses in Britain. An informa- tion officer and a typist were seconded from the Trade Development Council to assist with the additional work. (The former secondment ended in February, 1968).
135.
Details of the mailing list for the bulletins were as follows:
Business firms
***
Press (newspapers, journals, agencies, etc.)
528
Chambers of commerce
108
117
Members of Parliament
49
House of Lords
11
Hong Kong Government Officers in United Kingdom
113
Chinese companies, clubs, etc.
25
Miscellaneous
51
1,002
24
136. In addition to these bulletins, which were compiled largely from information received by cable or airmail from the Information Services Department in Hong Kong, the weekly mailings included other items of commercial interest. Five hundred copies of the 'Hong Kong Telegraph', supplied by the Trade Development Council, were sent to the most important business houses on the list, and additional informa- tion was included as available. For example, the Hong Kong Association supplied sufficient copies of its monthly bulletins to enable one to be sent to every address on the list. 'The World of Hong Kong' was also distributed.
137. A further result of the collaboration between the Information Section of the Government Office and the Trade Development Council was the production of a bi-monthly printed 'Newsletter'. Copies were sent to every Member of Parliament, to chambers of commerce and banks, as well as to all addresses on the regular mailing list.
138. The information section was responsible for the public relations arrangements, including a number of cinema shows and press con- ferences, in connexion with the 'goodwill mission' to the Hong Kong Chinese community in Britain of a four-man delegation from the Heung Yee Kuk, at the beginning of 1968.
139. It was also responsible for distribution in the United Kingdom of the 'Hong Kong News Digest', the Chinese-language weekly newspaper produced by the Information Services Department in Hong Kong to keep overseas Hong Kong Chinese in touch with events in the Colony. By the end of the year, circulation of the newspaper in Britain had reached 10,000. About three-quarters of this number were mailed directly to individual Chinese readers, with the assistance of a commercial mailing organization and a Chinese firm trading as agents for the servicing of subscriptions to Hong Kong Chinese newspapers. The remainder were distributed by the section to all British-based shipping companies em- ploying Chinese crews, Chinese clubs, congregations, emporia, students' organizations, etc.
140. In October, 1967, a Public Relations Liaison Committee was set up, under the chairmanship of the Director of the London Office, to exchange information between the various organizations in Britain concerned with projecting a favourable image of Hong Kong. Eight meetings of the committee were held up to the end of the year under
25
review, and at the close of the year the question of giving the committee a permanent and more positive role in the work of promoting Hong Kong in Britain was under active consideration.
141. Members of the committee represented the London Office of the Hong Kong Government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Students' Office and Chinese Liaison Office, the Commonwealth Office News Department, the Hong Kong Associa- tion, the Hong Kong Tourist Association, the Hong Kong Section of the London Chamber of Commerce, the British National Export Council, the Committee of Shipowners Employing Chinese Crews, and Campbell- Johnson Limited, public relations consultants to the Trade Development Council. The Principal Information Officer acted as Secretary of the committee.
142. For several months, the section was preoccupied almost exclu- sively with at first setting up machinery for, and then building up, a steady flow of information arising from the 'confrontation' in Hong Kong. Nevertheless every effort was made to maintain the other public relations services which are the normal activities of the section. The only extra staff engaged by the London Office to cope with the additional work was one temporary typist.
143. A steady flow of 'routine' press releases was maintained through- out the year, mainly through the facilities of Universal News Services. Several hundred items of news were transmitted through Universal News Services and nearly a hundred other releases were distributed by post, mainly to the trade and technical press. The facilities of Universal News Services were extended to, and fully utilized by, the Information Officer of the Trade Development Council's London Office.
144. Over 200 items concerning Hong Kong were distributed through the Parliamentary Information Service. This rapid service of extracts from the House of Commons' and House of Lords' Hansards was sent to a number of important business houses in Britain and was given a further wide distribution in Hong Kong by the Information Services Department.
145. The Principal Information Officer was invited to attend the regular monthly meetings of the Committee of the Hong Kong Associa- tion, at which he reported regularly on public relations matters.
26
146. A considerable part of the Principal Information Officer's time was again devoted to dealing with complaints about the health or safety standards of Hong Kong products. Through these activities, potentially adverse publicity was sometimes prevented, and when publicity could not be avoided appropriate counter measures were taken. Cordial relations were maintained with the Consumer Protection Branch of the Home Office, the Consumer Council, the Consumers' Association (publishers of 'Which?'), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the British Standards Institution, and local consumer groups. The Principal Information Officer addressed a public meeting in Bourne- mouth on the subject of toy safety.
147. Window displays at 54, Pall Mall were changed at frequent intervals and included features on the Colony's export performance after 'confrontation' and on the social services.
148. The information section runs a film library from which loans are made, free of charge, to schools, clubs and other private audiences. Over 250 loans were made from the library during the year and sets of colour slides to illustrate lectures on the Colony were borrowed on about 50 occasions.
149. The section maintains a comprehensive reference library on Hong Kong and this was in constant use by visitors to the office. It also holds a stock of several thousand photographs from which is met a steady demand for pictures for reproduction by newspapers, magazines and publishing houses.
150. The section's library is responsible for the sale in Britain of all Hong Kong Government publications and shares with Her Majesty's Stationery Office the U.K. agency for the sale of the Colony's Annual Report.
151. Assistance was given to the Central Office of Information in the production of a photo-poster on Hong Kong and to the Common- wealth Institute in the construction of a new Hong Kong Court (exhibit). At the end of the year, arrangements had been finalized for the opening of the Court by the Governor during his visit to London in early May, 1968.
152. Other activities during the year included the distribution of literature produced by the Information Services Department, the Com- merce and Industry Department, and other government departments;
27
briefing of journalists; arrangement of lectures by government officers on leave; and replying to many thousands of enquiries received by letter, telephone and personal visit, from members of the general public, business firms, schools, etc.
153. The London Office, through its information section, continued to maintain the closest possible contact with the Commonwealth Office Information Department and other departments of Her Majesty's Government, the Central Office of Information, Commonwealth organiza- tions, the B.B.C. and I.T.V., and other agencies for the dissemination of information.
154. The Hong Kong Government Office in London is administra- tively part of the Commerce and Industry Department, but its informa- tion 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 operations.
155. The staff of the Information Section, at the end of the year, consisted of a Principal Information Officer, a Senior Information Officer (seconded from the Information Services Department), a Librarian, an assistant librarian, two stenographers, and an office junior. A new post of typist/clerical assistant was temporarily vacant. In addition, the section had the full-time services of a typist on loan from the Trade Development Council.
N. J. V. WATT,
Director of Information Services.
June, 1968.
28
APPENDIX
FILMS CENSORED DURING THE PERIOD 1.4.67 TO 31.3.68
PANEL OF CENSORS
BOARD OF REVIEW
Total
Sub-
mitted
Passed Clean
Passed with
Not Total Passed
Passed Appeals Clean Cuts
Passed with Cuts
Not
Passed
FEATURE FILMS (35 mm):
Brazil
1
China Mainland
7
5
Demark
2
France
16
15
2
2
1
1
1*
Franco-British
1
1
Franco-Italian
19
15
1
3
اين
3*
2
Franco-Italian-Spanish
4
Germany
1
Hong Kong (Cantonese)
104
100
4
Hong Kong (Mandarin)
63
58
5
Hong Kong (English)
2
Hungary
1
India
36
35
Italo-German
1
Italo-Spanish
12
12
11-11
Italy...
65
62
نيا
Italo-French
1
1
Japan
64
50
5
9
3*
Pakistan
12
12
www.
South Africa
2
South Korea
10
1
Sweden
1
Switzerland...
1
1
(
Taiwan
United Kingdom U.S.A.
U.S.-Italian
West Germany
FEATURE FILMS (16 mm):
Canada
Japan
United Kingdom U.S.A.
SHORTS:
China Mainland
**
32
30
2
50
47
1
2
154
138
9
7
3*
1
1
4
4
668
606
33
29
15+
5
6
1
1132
1
3
2
1
7
4
3
2
2
el en en en -
2
3
3
elm en en
2
3
3
Hong Kong
India
Japan
3
Taiwan
1
United Kingdom
68
68
U.S.A.
91
91
U.S.A. (16 mm)
2
2
173
172
NEWSREELS:
U.S.A.
36
35
16 mm films
35 mm films
16 mm films
35 mm films
TELEVISION (Rediffusion):
TELEVISION (Broadcasts):
2,143
2,135
2
6
6
6
2,285
2,279
3
3
1
1
4,435
4,421
5
9
ADVERTISING FILMS
606
604
2
TOTAL
5,925
5,842
42
41
17+
* One film pending decision by Board of Review.
Four films pending decision by Board of Review.
29
Milli
8
GPHK
Printed by the Government Printer
Code No.: 0344068
Price: $3.50