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Mr. Carter Lost Mir
Parliamentary Unit
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51
22 DEC 1969
AKK 5/3
I submit a draft written reply to a Parliamentary Question by Mr. James Johnson based on Hong Kong telegram
No. 911.
2. The employment of children (under the age of 14) is illegal in any industrial undertaking. From time to time this problem does give cause for concern in Hong Kong, particularly at a time like the present when there is a high level of employment in the Colony, amounting to a
considerable labour shortage. Law enforcement measures
are vigorously pursued.
3. The reference in the Question to "the recent Labour Department survey" is not understood, unless it is to the campaign which was mounted in August, at the beginning of the school holidays, against the unlawful employment of
children in industry. In that campaign 1387 employees
believed to be under 14 were discovered and prosecutions
mounted against 298 proprietors of industrial undertakings.
We do not know what success attended these prosecutions but
we do know that there were difficulties over false names
etc and that evidence was not readily available.
4. Outside industry there are no restrictions in law and
this is the case with tea houses. Here, however, the
numbers of children employed are gradually declining on account of the general change in social habits, so that this is thought to be a diminishing problem. It is by no
means easy to devise and enforce measures of control over
the employment of children in family businesses especially
those engaged in itinerant trading.
لوی
Hong Kong Dept.
A revised answer has been
(H. H. Stewart) prepared in consultation with 16 December, 1969 Sur L. Monson.
Copies to Sir L. Monson
Mr. Godden
W. 5. Carter
16/12/69