Dd. 32855 Ed (4200)
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CONFIDENTIAL
In addition particular attention was also drawn
in the despatches commending this model to
Colonial Governments, to the necessity of
establishing joint consultative and
negotiating machinery in all essential services, This Jon the ground that, where the right of workers
was
to withdraw their labour had been restricted
a special obligation was placed on the employer
to ensure adequate arrangements for the settle-
ment of disputes and the redress of grievances
(I enclose for ease of reference copies of the
relevant despatches, their accompanying
memoranda and draft texts, i.e. Circular Despatch
No. 629/60 of 13 June 1960 and Circular Despatch
No. 505/61 of 17 May 1961).
4. Against this background I have the following
comments on the matters raised in your saving
despatch.
5. In that despatch you invited my agreement
to the existing Ordinance amended solely in
respect of the provisions of Section 3, under
which a strike or lock-out, having an object
other than or in addition to the furtherance of
a trade dispute, can be declared illegal) be ing
made part of Hong Kong's permanent legislation.
The particular provisions of Section 3, which
contain the essence of the Ordinance, are based
upon the United Kingdom Trades Dispute Act of
1927 which has now been repeated; the Hong Kong
provisions have never been invoked and you have
yourself commented that it is difficult to
CONFIDENT IAL
conceive