where there are regulations stipulating shorter
maximum hours of overtime for women and young
persons than in Hong Kong, they are not so
strictly enforced.
As I am sure you appreciate, the reason why
the maximum hours of overtime permitted for women
and young persons in Hong Kong are being
increased over four years in step with the
reductions in working hours is primarily to avoid
reductions in workers' earnings and secondarily
to allow maximum flexibility to employers in
fiercely competitive industries to adjust to the
I should add that the
new conditions.
Commissioner of Labour does not expect that
employers will find much occasion to make use of
these relaxations but he will in any case be
keeping a careful watch on what happens in the
months ahead.
As I said in my reply on 24 January, it is
the intention after 1971 to reduce maximum
permitted hours of overtime to 100 hours p.a.
as quickly as possible.
R20%,
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